Logs:Amaze Me
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| RL Date: 4 November, 2009 |
| Who: Audria, B'tal, Gabrion, Madilla, Shad |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Gabrion and Madilla run into B'tal and Shad in the bowl; awkwardness happens. Later, Madilla and Audria take a walk. |
| Where: Western Bowl, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 16, Month 2, Turn 21 (Interval 10) |
| Western Bowl, High Reaches Weyr The bowl's vast dirt floor extends in a rough oval from west to east, only sparse clumps of grass surviving between the crisscrossed pathways of daily traffic. To the northwest stand massive gates to the world beyond, allowing people, livestock, and tithes to pass beneath some of the seven jagged spires that stand sentinel over that area of the bowl. In late afternoons, their spindly, fingerlike shadows stretch over that end of the bowl all the way to the living cavern's hulking brass doors in the far north. Eastward, the bowl sprawls on toward the lake, sloping slightly downward to allow runoff from rain and snowmelt, but to the south it's caged by more cliffs of dark, rough-cut granite. Rocks poke up from the ground here, a few large boulders and many smaller outcroppings worn smooth in spots by time and use. A few ground weyr entrances dot the wall, the most frequented ledge set up like a patio while the largest ledge services the Weyrleaders' complex, directly beside the huge entrance to the hatching sands. A more human-sized entrance, left of that, leads to the galleries. Well, the first part of his name is sure to catch his attention and B'tal turns uncertainly at the sound of it, not quite recognizing the voice. He looks toward the source and squints his eyes before taking a couple steps in that direction instead of continue toward the living cavern. Jeibeth was probably going to continue on her way as well but she pauses from a little further in the bowl to watch as well. It takes him a couple moments to come up with a name, then, "Shad? What're you-- why? Uh." He's not really sure what he was trying to ask so instead he just gestures with a hand at the boy. He's /here./ Shad ducks his head. "Yeah, it's me." He motions towards Jeibeth. "She's yours?" He asks. "What's her name?" And then with a still-slightly-nervous grin. "For that matter, what's yours now? When did you Impress?" Then, with a deep breath, and suddenly unable to look B'tal in the face. "I ... uhhh. Got transfered. The farm thing." Gabrion and Madilla are walking across the bowl in a leisurely fashion from the general direction of the infirmary. Gabrion has his jacket closed and hands stuffed in his pockets, but he hasn't bothered with a hat or scarf. He's telling Madilla an animated tale about what she missed when she stepped away from the check-in desk for a few minutes: "...and so his nose was bleeding bad, but he'd stopped it up with tissue, right, only then - WACHOO! - he sneezes and the tissue flies out and it just goes /everywhere/ - it took me, like, half an hour to clean off the desk and floor and everything." Though going from the relish with which he tells the tale, it sounds like it was worth it. The expression on Madilla's face, as she busies herself wrapping her coat more securedly around her against the wind, is one part amusement, and one part rueful resignation, no doubt a result of her awareness of 'ah yes, teenage boys'. But her response to him, as they meander closer towards B'tal and Shad, is a merry enough one. "Oh, the poor boy, he must have been /so/ embarrassed. It must have been awfully funny, though, if you could get best the mess and the... grossness of it." Not that she sounds terribly grossed out, despite her generally sweet and conservative manner. "Uh." Give him a second. He's still catching up here. "Right, yeah. She's mine. Jeibeth." The greenrider lifts a hand to rub through his hair, clearly the sort that doesn't really care which way bits of it are going. "I'm B'tal now. It's been, shells, over a turn now. Not quite a turn and a half." Pause. "The farm thing. Crom?" He glances toward more voices, one slightly more familiar than the other and his gaze settles on Madilla when she's closer for a few moments. Jeibeth warbles a greeting to the healer. "She's beautiful." Sh'ess says, then somewhat belatedly remembers his manners, bowing to the green respectfully. He glances sharply at the newcomers before ambling closer to B'tal. "I ... kinda had to come." He admits, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Sort of the same reason you disappeared from the Hold." That mess had been /all over/. Spread by all-too-willing malicious gossips. "I ... something's going on over there, B ... B'tal." Gabrion spots B'tal with another skinny-but-muscular guy whom he checks out appreciatively, even as he waves across the bowl to the pair of them. "Hi, B'tal!" he calls as they approach. In a more quietly conversational tone, he answers Madilla, "Yeah, he was at first, but once he kind of realized I didn't care, he saw the funny side of it too. So there was that, at least. And they got him an ice pack and got his nosebleed stopped, and he was just fine." It's Jeibeth, rather than B'tal and his companion, that Madilla notices first, her expression softening delightedly as she says to the green, "Hello, Jeibeth. I hope you're well?" It does have the end result of the healer turning her gaze towards B'tal as she finds him, greeting him with a smile, too, as she alters their path slightly to aim more towards the pair. "I'm glad to hear that," she tells Gabrion. "It's not much fun, getting a nose bleed like that, but at least he saw the humour, and he's all right, now." Jeibeth watches with curiously whirling eyes, crooning a gentle sound in particular to Madilla for the question. "Thanks," B'tal says, eyeing Shad uncertainly as he continues. "Same reason," he repeats, one brow arching a little higher than the other. "Something?" he prompts before glancing toward the other two again as they get nearer. He's good at talking tersely, apparently. "Hey," he greets both of the pair. Shad's about to answer B'tal when he catches the pint-sized kid giving him a look. He blinks, but the look's gone. Surely he hadn't seen what he thought he saw. "Yeah. I ... " He squirms uncomfortably, then tries again. "They're up to something, B'tal. I don't know what, but something." "What's up?" Gabe asks B'tal cheerfully. "You two doing alright? Hey, Jeibeth." He adds in a casual greeting for the green, and then turns to Shad with a friendly smile on his face. "Hi, I'm Gabe," he says, offering his hand. He's not leering or anything like that but he is openly curious about Shad. And he either hasn't noticed or doesn't care that he's barged right into a conversation that Shad and B'tal would probably rather keep private. Madilla seems to take Jeibeth's croon as a 'yes, I am well, thank you', because she beams at the green, saying, "Wonderful," before her gaze slides easily towards the two boys. "Hello, B'tal," she says, equally warmly, shifting her attention between the greenrider and his companion. "Who's your friend?" She leaves Gabrion to address the stranger directly, apparently content to linger back a little. "Something isn't really a lot to go on," B'tal notes with only a small bit of concern. "I mean... who?" But he's apparently not expecting much in the way of answers here one way or the other between Shad presumably not knowing much and their company. "Not much. I was going to see about getting something to eat. But I ran into Shad here." Which answers the whole 'who his friend is' question. He looks past Gabe and Shad to Madilla and adds, "He's a smith. Was?" He's not so sure on that and glances at the other young man again for clarification. "I got some records from the Smithhall." Shad tells him. "I'll show you later." Then he turns to the little kid and his friend. "Shaduriess. Everyone calls me Shad, though. He accepts the handshake, trying to be careful not to crumple the kid's hand, and probably overcompensating a bit, making his grip a bit on the limp side. "And yeah, still an Apprentice Smith." At least he hadn't lost that. Gabrion follows Shad's lead on the whole handshake thing. "Shad. Nice to meet you," he says warmly. "A smith, huh?" He glances briefly at B'tal, an inscrutable look, and then steps back a pace or two, smiling at them both. "We just got off work," he says, gesturing to include Madilla in the statement. "A Smith! Someone you knew at the Hall?" Madilla wants to know, gaze shifting yet again between the pair of them. "It's nice to meet you, Shad. A friend of B'tal's..." She breaks off, rather than finish that particular piece of predictability, adding, instead, at the tail end of Gabrion's explanation, "Gabrion and I work in the infirmary. I'm a Senior Apprentice, he's an Infirmary Aide. It's nice to meet you, Shad; I'm Madilla." The greenrider's gaze goes a little distant at what Shad says to him about records and he glances back toward Jeibeth before nodding at the words. B'tal nods to Madilla then, sort of on the end of his other nod so it might look all like the same one. "Yeah. We knew each other. I don't if you'd call it--" But he stops there because that technicality doesn't really matter all that much anyway. If he notices any looks from little people, he's ignoring them. "Yeah, B'tal and I more or less grew up together." Shad says. Well, sort of. Same Craft, same Hold, only two years apart ... they'd bumped elbows a lot. "Nice to meet you both." Audria makes her way out of the inner caverns, wrapping a scarf around her neck with gloved hands. She pauses for a second, then shifts her path to take her over to the little group of people chatting. Gabrion goes kind of quiet and just stands there with a smile. Madilla, if she's conscious of any undercurrents anywhere, doesn't seem to show it in her expression, which is as warm as ever. "Well, that's lovely," she declares, whether or not it actually is. For the moment, Audria goes unseen as she continues, questioningly, "Have you been posted here, Shad? Or are you just visiting? It's nice here... a little different from a hold, though." "Right," B'tal says in awkward agreement to what Shad says, obviously uncertain about it. But when is he certain of anything? He's looking toward the living cavern again. "I should maybe..." with a gesture that way. "I'm sure I'll run into you again, though, Shad. It's good to, uh, see you again." Right. Maybe he can make a clean getaway. Shad grimaces, but doesn't say anything to stop B'tal from making his getaway. "Yeah, I've been posted here." He sounds both relieved and nervous about that. "Probably permanently." He grumbles, mostly under his breath. "The Weyr always needs smiths, so they sent me along." Yeah, that's not the story he told B'tal a minute ago. Audria steps up to the group, tugging her coat tight around her. "I, uh, can I join you? I mean, if it's a pest I can go away." She states, not seeming to notice B'tal's tendency towards running away at the moment. She's caught up in her own nervousness at not knowing everyone there. "Neat," Gabrion says to Shad. "Well, welcome and all, nice to have you." He looks over at B'tal. "You leaving?" he asks, seeming a little disappointed. "You'll like it," says Madilla, earnestly. "Really. Once you get used to it." That is not, however, the foremost thing on her mind, one hand reaching out with the intent of drawing Gabrion back, as she hurriedly adds, "I'm sorry, we interrupted your conversation... B'tal, don't go, stay and talk with your friend, and we'll leave you to it. I'm sorry." Her words come just before Audria's, which have her turning about in haste to see the other girl, smiling, but also, apparently, intent upon drawing her away from B'tal and Shad, albeit not physically. "Hello, Audria." B'tal side-glances at Shad uncertainly when his story changes but he's not going to bring it up here. "Just going inside. To eat. I'm hungry." He gestures for the living cavern and even takes a few steps that way. "It's okay. Really. I'm just--" Uncomfortable would probably be the best word there but it's not what he's going to say. "Hungry. Hey, Audria," the last added with a little wave for the girl. "Hi." Shad says to the new arrival. He's starting to look uncomfortable. He's not used to being at the center of a group that's not out to pound him. "I'm sure I will." He tells Madilla. "Oh, me too," Gabrion says brightly. "I mean, Madilla and I were just on our way to go eat. We could all go. Are you hungry?" he asks Shad. He casts a brief glance back at Madilla and Audria to see if they're interested in coming along, or not; but really he's more interested in eating with the boys. Audria looks over to Madilla as she's greeted. "Hi." She says simply. And if B'tal hadn't spoken to her, she'd probably easily be distracted. Instead she turns and comments. "I just put out a fresh kettle of nice warm stew before I finished. A few minutes ago. And I think there are some rolls. Probably good ones. You should go eat." Madilla, relegated to the dust-heap as soon as there are boys around, woe. Not that she seems to have noticed this in particular; she's too busy being nice and friendly. "I--" she begins. "Wouldn't want to intrude." Her eyes are saying /Gabrion/, but her voice doesn't, at least. It's not really her place. "I think I might take a walk before I eat." "Food?" Shad perks up considerably. "That sounds really good, actually. Haven't eaten since lunch." And it's late now. "Ummm ... wait for me, B'tal!" And he takes off after him. B'tal frowns at Madilla's thoughts to take a walk first but instead of saying anything about it, he turns toward the caverns again and starts that way with a renewed sense of purpose. He's going to eat if it kills him! "Thanks," he says to Audria, leaving the rest to sort out their business. Gabrion looks back at Madilla, vaguely guilty-seeming, but the lure of the two boys is too strong and so, with a bit of a wave, he lopes off after Shad and B'tal. Audria watches the boys walk off before she turns to shake her head over to Madilla. "It always amazes me how much boys can eat. I guess it keeps us in business in the kitchens though." As if the number of people in the weyr wouldn't anyway. "Would you, um, mind company for your walk? I ate already. I wanted fresh, if really cold, air." Madilla, too, stares after the boys, and shakes her head. Her comment is different, though; "It always amazes me how... oh, never mind. They do eat a lot, don't they?" She turns to smile at Audria, rubbing her hands together as she nods. "Of course, we can walk together. Admittedly, I was really just trying to... I feel as though Gabrion and I interrupted something, and I felt bad. But a walk would be nice. How are you, Audria?" Audria looks over to Madilla. "Oh. Well, maybe they'll still feel more like talking with just Gabrion there. I mean, he's another guy. That matters sometimes, right?" She states before she shrugs. "I'm just fine. It's nice to feel more, uh, settled in here. Like this is home. Not someplace I'm visiting. Right? How are you?" "I /hope/ so," says Madilla, genuinely. "Though he's... well. He's young." A shadow of something crosses her face, but she doesn't further elucidate what she means by that, instead breaking off into a quiet little smile. "I know the feeling, of course. How long have you been here now? I've forgotten." Beat. "I'm fine, thank you." She takes a few steps forward, aiming vaguely towards the lake. "Busy, but not so terribly so. I think I'm looking forward to spring, mostly." "Spring will be wonderful. I like winter a lot. But mostly for the first few months. By the end of the winter, I look forward to spring." Audria states, pulling her coat tight around her at the reminder. "I got here at the end of the summer." Audria states, falling into step beside Madilla. "How long have you been here?" "Mm," agrees Madilla. "By this point, I think we're all beginning to be ready for something warmer, no matter where we're from." She digs her hands into her pockets, stepping around a snowdrift that's nearly as tall as she is, and peering off into the distance. "Since I was fifteen. Four turns, come summer. Which... seems like an awfully long time." Audria makes her way around the snowdrift as well, reaching down to pick up a handful in one gloved hand before she replies. "That is a long time. But, well, I guess there are people that live in one place their whole entire lives. I lived at the hold for like sixteen turns." Madilla crunches through the snow, attempting to match her footprints to a set already winding down towards the lake, though the stride is too wide for her, and she doesn't quite manage it. "I lived at my family's hold for thirteen and a half," she agrees. "I never expected to travel further than the nearby hold where my fiance lived. I think it's just still hard to imagine that I've had a different home for so long." Beat. "Have you been back and visited your family? It's strange... or, at least, I find it so. I don't quite fit, anymore." Audria looks over to Madilla with a blink. "You had a fiance?" She says, with a quick blush. "I mean, I uh, don't want to pry." Just to speak before she thinks about what she's saying. "I did go back for a short visit. My uncle was going and he took me. It was odd. With the brother I'm closest to, it was like I'd never left. With my parents it was different. Because it's like I don't need them anymore. I love them, but I don't need them like I did as a kid." Ruefully, Madilla laughs. "Strictly speaking, you could almost say I've had two, in fact. I was..." she wavers, evidently determining the best way to put it, "promised to someone, when I was still very small. We'd be married by now, if things hadn't changed; he's married to my cousin, now. And then there was W'chek." That one makes her look just ever so slightly sad, though she waves it away with a few hearty footsteps forwards. "Going away does seem to amplify the growing up process," she agrees. "W'chek? I think I heard that. But doesn't he like guys?" Audria once again talks before thinking. "I mean, the Weyrwoman was getting on B'tal about it. A long time ago." She starts to form that snow into a ball as she walks. "I tend to put my foot in my mouth. A lot. So, I, uh, not good with males. Was the other guy nice? The one who's married to your cousin?" It's Madilla's turn to go pink - pinker than the cold has already made her cheeks - at mention of W'chek's sexuality, the sound coming out of her throut faintly strangled before, "Yes. That..." beat. "Would by why we're no longer engaged, I suppose." She stares off into the distance, thoughtful for a moment, before she turns back to add, "I don't mind. I'm... not terribly good with them, either. It was easier, when I could just expect things to be," she smiles, rueful again, "sorted out for me. As for Caden... I believe so. I'm told he is. I don't know him, really. My cousin has two children, and she's very happy." Children. There's no questioning the envy her tone, there. Audria sighs at that mention. "I suppose I'll have to brave talking to boys without stuttering every word and sticking my foot in my mouth someday so I can have those, huh? I miss my littlest sisters." She says before she looks over. "You're looking forward to some in the future, too, huh?" "You and me both," says Madilla, merrily, this time, as she breaks into a skip, albeit a careful one so as to avoid falling in the slippery snow. "I'd rather have some now," she admits, then, turning back to glance at Audria. "But not until I'm a Journeyman. And then... as soon as I can. Even if I have to do something drastic to make it happen." Audria giggles over at the thought of that, a blush touching her cheeks. "Well, you can always go out and seduce a father. I could help you out with some food for it. Food is supposed to be a way to draw in them, right? I mean, they eat enough of it." She comments with another quick giggle. Pink-cheeked, Madilla admits, "Or I could just wait outside the guest weyr after a green flight." But that, truly, seems to be as much as she can say on that subject-- too much, maybe. "Come on, let's head for the lake!" And it's not that she starts running, but, well, the walk is faster, until it's just too cold, and it's time to go in. |
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