It is autumn, and Reaches has begun the quick change from nice weather to blizzards. At least the air this afternoon is crisp and dry, even if the ground is still wet from days of rain. Most people who aren't working are enjoying the weather before it gets too cold to idle outside. E'gin is enjoying the quiet(er) caverns. Leaning back in his chair, one leg propped up on a reinforcing bar underneath. A parchment is spread out before him, but his gaze is settled, unfocusedly, on his klah. Whatever he really is looking at, his mind is else where.
Whether the day is a nice one for the Reaches' autumn or not, it's not really a super-great one for someone who's just moved up into the mountains - so it might be no surprise that Brieli is sticking to the indoors and looking for warmer spots besides. The seamstress has a basket of work with her as she comes up from the caverns and skirts around the hearths, taking her time in finding a mug of klah. She might have stopped just there, given the warmth and the easy gossip that flies around the fire - but E'gin's parchment is possibly more interesting - so she'll edge over his way, greeting the rider with a friendly, "Hello."
E'gin is roused, though it takes a moment for his eyes to refocus and lift to the girl and her basket. Another beat. "Care to join?" He asks, as he begins to the roll up the parchment, just dragon formations nothing interest really. Once it is open he waves a hand at the empty chair. Perhaps, company was just what he needed. "Maybe having someone to talk to here will make Vys be quiet." Rolling his eyes slightly, he grins. "Brieli, right?"
What Brieli knows about dragon formations wouldn't fill the head of one of her pins, so the parchment is of some interest - but she's not devastated when E'gin rolls it back up to put it aside. "I can, if you're quite sure I'm not interrupting?" She starts for the indicated chair, dark brows arched questioningly. "And that's right - E'gin, yes? What is he going on to you about? Is that... what was taking up your attention?" A polite way of putting 'spaced out'.
"You aren't interrupting me. You are interrupting the brown butthead who I share telepatheic link with." E'gin grins, answering both questions at once, "Vysravth is 'taking up my attention'." Long, slender fingers curl as he makes quotations in the air, but he seems content to not bring up just what they were discussing so intently. Instead, he tears off a piece of bread, which looks like it was supposed to be lunch but had been forgotten until now. "So, you still enjoying it here? It's an interesting place, yah?" The piece of bread is plopped into his mouth.
As she sits, with a grin, "Well, please convey my apologies for interrupting him." Brieli doesn't really seem that worried about Vysravth, though she does ask E'gin, after a sip of her klah, "Was he taking up your opinion with anything interesting that you can share?" As if the omission was noticed, though the question itself, her tone seems innocent enough. Kicking her basket under the table, out of the way of a passing group of kitchen workers, "So far, so good. I'm noticing little things, little patterns. Lots of people coming here for a change, a little like I have, for example."
E'gin waves off the idea of apologizing to the brown, and the question has him faltering for a moment. He doesn't hide, from his facial features, that he is trying to decide how to answer the girl. He sides with honesty, "No. I think this particular conversation is best to keep between us." He winks, as if his answer is an exaggeration. He'll leave it to girl to decide. His boot squeaks against the wood as he moves it to the floor. "A little change? That says more interesting than anything we were talking about. What change have you come to find?"
Brieli finds that expression interesting, the way E'gin doesn't even try to hide his uncertainty. Resting her elbow on the table, chin in one hand, mug in the other, "Fair enough. But it does pique my curiosity, just so you're warned." Her tone is light; she's happy enough to leave it alone. For now. With a shrug, she admits, "It's not all that interesting, I'm afraid. I had no ties to hold me and nothing in my future. It seemed as good a reason as any to find another place to live - a place that wasn't half covered in black dust." She wrinkles her nose.
"Piqued curiosity is good, it guarantees me company, at least for a little while." E'gin's easy grin is settled on Brieli, as he runs a hand through shaggy hair. "Hm. No one, eh?" He seems neither overly sympathetic, or cold about the girl's admission. There is a warm matter-of-factness about his tone. "My parents died when we were young, so I know how that is. But I guess I have my sister." Pause, "And a daughter." The idea still seems foreign, as a look over both perplexision and happiness cross his face. "Not that riders get much time with their kids."
"Company, or stalkers. One of the two." Brieli is entertained enough by the idea that she's likely not a stalker, at least. Shifting to take a sip from her mug, she nods. "No one that mattered much to me, anyway. Not enough to hang about mending there when I could be mending somewhere more exciting." Offering E'gin a slight smile for the shared history, "I might have liked siblings." At the addition, she blinks a little, perhaps at his expression. "Is that... just due to duties? Or is it just the way things are?" Considering her klah, "I'm not sure I want children, myself."
"Oh well, who's to say a stalker would be all that bad?" E'gin chuckles softly with a nod, "Not entirely bad. Seems like you enjoy an adventure - much harder to do with attachments." Still his grin softens in an apologetic way to the girl's plite. "Mending somewhere more exciting. Extreme mending. Have you tried mending on the back of a dragon?" Grin softening further it almost become an outright smile, "Aella is great. We've been on our own since she was around six, I guess. Then we came here. And yah, it is duties. Drills six days a week, sweeps, carrier duty for dignitaries..." He waves his hand as if he could go on with the list, "Oh. I wanted kids, but islanders are a little different about that stuff than people here are." He shrugs helplessly and a mischevious grin reappears, "But Vys caught and both Rielsath and Lujayn ended up with eggs." Another little wink. "What have you found here so far? What you were looking for?"
With an arch of brows, "Depends on what the stalker wants from you? If you have a crazy killer stalker, not so good for you. Well, if they can climb. If they had a dragon, I imagine you might get a heads up through the grapevine." Brieli just has to shake her head at E'gin's suggestion, pointing out, "Mending is going to be the same regardless... and dragons are just so big, I don't know if I could keep my wits about me enough to mend." Thoughtful, curious, "Were you both really on your own so young? Or is it like here in some ways - do others help raise children? Well, did, I mean. On the island. I don't really know much about it." A beat before she straightens, adding, "I just don't know that I'd be very good at parenting. And... I'm not sure what I'm looking for precisely, but I'm working on it. I've definitely found," Her tone shades a little wry, "That people are suspicious of Crom."
"I was pretty much on my own, but I'm seven years older than her so I would have been soon anyway." E'gin shrugs, "She was fostered but I made sure I spent most of my time with her. The island was..." Another shrug, far more dismissive this time and the way his mouth screws up on oneside are his thoughts on the matter. "Well, they were, some still are, suspicious of us islanders too." Brows furrowing, the corners of his mouth tug downward, "Far as I can see there are bad people and good people in every group. Good weyrfolk, bad weyrfolk, good islanders, bad islanders, good Cromese, bad Cromese." A rueful smile, "I'm not going to do to you what others did to me."
"That was kind of you. I'm sure it meant a lot to her, to have that time. People-- People who haven't lost someone early don't understand that. That time is important. Precious." Brieli shakes her head a little and flashes an apologetic smile for her own dark little ruminations, looking at E'gin over her mug. "Sorry. But I think you know what I mean." With a sigh that sounds like a breath she wasn't aware she was holding, the girl's frame relaxes; she nods. "I appreciate that. Very much so. It seems like people always like to blame their problems on someone else, if they can."
"It meant a lot to me too, I just wish I had the same time for Nalani." E'gin shifts, relaxes a bit himself, "But that is the trade off I guess. Duty to weyr and dragon." He pauses, studying the girl for a moment, "Well it seems like you've done the same for me." A lopsided smile is offered, "No point in that. Sometimes I'm ahead, sometimes I'm behind but all I can do is work as hard as I can to change opinions and get where I want to go." Where that is he doesn't say, but perhaps a little ambition is hidden in his tone. "And you? " Admiration flickers in his smile. "That is wisdom behind your age." Though his own age can't be too much more than hers.
Finishing her mug, setting it aside, "I'm sure that what time there is means a lot to her too - as long as there is some, yes? Not like some I've seen around the Holds, with children that I've seen looking more like decorations than proper kids." Brieli has to shudder at that, grimacing - the very idea. E'gin's statement and tone both lift her dark gaze from mug to brownrider with interest, though she still manages to sound guileless as she asks, "Where do you want to go?" There's a laugh for her supposed wisdom, and she shakes her head. "No. I've just seen how people are. That doesn't take wisdom, just observation and some hard lessons learned."
"I dunno. Wingsecond?" E'gin's smirk says something else, perhaps indecipherable, but he's trying to read the girl's face. Relaxed, but not yet trusting he leans back and crosses his arms. "Isn't that what wisdom is?" He quips back, with a snorted laugh, "So what have you observed here? Are we as awful as they say at the hold?" Truly he doesn't know what they say about them at the hold, nor does he indicated if he speaking of exiles or the weyr population in general.
Brieli has to give E'gin the side-eye for 'Wingsecond' - that doesn't really sound like it's within the interests of a young man with a possible score to settle or something to prove, does it? "Mmm-hmm. Right, well. I'll buy that when I see it. And..." There's a moment before she has to concede, "Sort of. I suppose in a way, it is. I just don't want to lay claim to wisdom at the grand old age of eighteen turns." Considering the question more seriously than it might have been asked, she starts, careful, "I didn't hear a lot from the higher-ups, as it was. I got the odd bit here and there from people who knew people and I don't know that it's a surprise that they're not happy. But no horrific rumors about the Weyrwoman that I was made aware of, say."
E'gin waggles his eyebrows at the way Brieli repeats 'Wingsecond', conspiratorially, but doesn't embellish. "Have to start somewhere, right?" A pause. "But plans sometimes change." He grunts softly at her idea, "If you have it, you shouldn't hide from it. Some 40 year olds aren't wise, some 17 year olds are." He shrugs, "Gossip is one thing, a general attitude of a group of people is another. I almost like gossip better, it could be bigger than the truth, but at least it isn't the generalization of a whole group based on nothing." Clearly he isn't fond of either, but if one has to pick. He snorts at the last comment as he chokes back laughter. "At least Tiriana is straight forward. No fakeness in that one. If she is going to stab you, at least she'll do it from the front. That is better than the alternative."
"Plans always change. But yes, you do have to start somewhere." Tapping the edge of the empty mug with her finger, Brieli shrugs a little herself. "Perhaps that is true - I'm just saying that I'm not necessarily that way all that time." She nods, pointing at E'gin to agree, "Gossip also usually has some little bit of truth in there, even if it's mostly innocuous. So there's usually something to learn. Not necessarily anything useful, but..." There's a beat for the brownrider's description of the Weyrwoman, an oddly thoughtful expression before, "Is that right. Well, I'll agree with you on that. I'd rather know than not."
"At least a bit, and sometimes it is useful." E'gin points out, oh-so-helpfully. "I think everyone would. Not that anyone likes it, but it is better than being used and not knowing it." Still the brownrider seems rather unwilling to say much more about the goldrider, or the situation. He's neutral statement is left for another topic of conversation. "Best thing that has happened since you got here." Go.\
With an easy smile, "That's why I like to listen. Or watch - but listening is easier if you don't want hands full of holes." Brieli mimes stitching, stabbing herself in the hand, gripping said hand dramatically. Laughing, she asks the brownrider, "But how often does everyone get what they want?" Not expecting an answer, nor expecting to continue the conversation about the tense atmosphere in which they live. Instead she'll really consider the question, as if she's going to give E'gin an entirely truthful answer. "Seeing the records room. Will you answer the same? I bet I could guess."
"The records room? Why?" E'gin isn't accusing, he's curious. "A couple of islanders spent a lot of time down there too, searching." This time is tone at least hints at what his words do, that she was searching for something specific, as well, but he doesn't press. He pauses, honestly considering the question. "Impressing Vysravth seems like a cop-out. Just having a chance, being here, especially with Vys. We can make something of ourselves, move up in the world. Be in charge of what we do. That is why I am happy here." And why he wasn't on the island.
"At the Hold, there's not really much wandering about the records. It's impressive to see all the history, and rather nice that I might have access to it if I like." Brieli offers something of a sheepish smile. "It's not much, but it's something I appreciate. I like to know about the place I live, if at all possible." With another little laugh, "Vysravth would have been in my top three guesses, I think. But I don't think it's a cop-out, even so. From what I've heard, I can understand why it would be. Though you're not completely in charge of what you do. Close. But you still fly in a wing, still take orders."
E'gin studies the girl for a moment again, a seventeen year old her appreciates archives. That seems less likely than her being wise, and it reads on his face but he doesn't say anything else about it. "Yah. He'd be my top three too, most of the time." Perhaps a throw back comment to when she first entered the caverns this afternoon. "It is different. I chose to stand. I chose this life. Choosing wasn't an option on the island. Everyone has to take orders in some way, if they want to eat, but I get to choose 'em here." A lopsided grin. "You want to lead the life of a seamstress forever, not a bad gig, but is there something else - cook maybe? Craft?"
If Brieli is aware she's being studied, she doesn't let on - she seems blithely ignorant of it for the moment, instead watching a few other seamstresses set up near the hearths. Eyeing her basket with a twist of her mouth, "Well, I'd have something else, but I haven't been here too long. The feast wasn't bad, nor was meeting Io - I think maybe we understand each other a little." Tilting her head as she looks up to regard E'gin, words careful, "It's still a little unbelievable to me that - that happened. The island. In some ways, it's not a surprise, but it's no less... unbelievable." Horrible too, by her tone. Shaking it off, "I'm not sure. I'm not a good enough seamstress, or interested enough to go to Weaver. I ought to consider it more carefully than I have been."
E'gin shrugs half a shoulder, "Whatever happened, it happened a long time ago and no one from then is really alive anymore." He frowns slightly, "I can't go blaming people here for what happened then. I can only judge them the same way I want them to judge me. The here and now." Her comment about meeting Iolene is received with some mixed expression, which he quickly sets to blank. "You should. You are free here, no ties. Might as well figure out what you want to do, and do it." His smile grows, "That is the best part about this place." His fingers play with the edge of the parchment, "I need to go get ready for sweeps." Pushing his chair out he grins across the table at the girl, "It is was a pleasure to speak with you again, Brieli. I hope to see you again soon."
"Well, no - it was just the first I'd heard of it, so... I thought I'd mention. That's all." Brieli's dark brows draw together, somewhere between bemused and concerned. "I didn't say anything about blaming anyone." E'gin's mixed expression doesn't leave her looking any less troubled, but she tries to push that away, nodding to the brownrider - though there's a flash of skepticism to his claim that any of them are 'free'. "I'll be sure to consider it. And thank you for the conversation, E'gin - I hope sweeps are uneventful. And I'm always here." She nods towards the seamstresses, getting up after he's left to join them in the endless mending.
"Oh, I wasn't saying you were." E'gin pauses with a frown, "I just meant people in general." An apologetic grin, "I'm sure they will be. They always are. Have fun seaming." An easier grin, and a wave as he walks away.
|
Leave A Comment