Logs:Party Spies With Crushes
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| RL Date: 25 January, 2016 |
| Who: Farideh, Lys, Pia |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Lys wants to be a spy, Pia wants to make maps, and Farideh likes to party. |
| Where: Snowasis, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 3, Month 12, Turn 39 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: Quinlys/Mentions, Drex/Mentions, Jo/Mentions, V'ret/Mentions, Jocelyn/Mentions, C'ris/Mentions, Telavi/Mentions, Joremy/Mentions |
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| The fog and cold outside even permeates Snowasis this afternoon, where a singular goldrider sits at one of the tables near the back, nibbling periodically on a sandwich and washing it down with water. Farideh appears to have taken her work to the bar today, and it's on the multiple papers that her eyes are focused in distracted fashion. It's unlikely that she's noticed how empty the cavern is, or that the bartenders are singing behind the bar as they wipe down the counter; she's too lost in her own world, full of signatures, requests, and invitations. Days like today have a way of encouraging people to seek the simple comforts. For Lys, one of those is her continued love of wings, so that's what slides onto Farideh's table when the greenrider moves to slide into a seat opposite her. Her lips are a line, but upturned slightly at the edges. Her lack of greeting might be a test to see just how thoroughly the goldrider's attention is taken or simply a wish to not interrupt until there's a natural stopping point. If Farideh looks up, there's a, "Hi," offered her. It's not the slide of the plate or the subsequent sitting down, but after a few minutes Farideh must realize she's not quite alone. Glancing up, she notes the wings first, and then the blonde-haired greenrider. "Lys, hi," she says, leaning back and stretching her shoulders. "How long have you been there?" she asks, completely unashamed, but half-deprecating. "Long enough that I can be called on to vouch for just how very hard you're working in Irianke's absence, should it prove necessary." Lys replies dryly, smile turning a little playful as it widens. "Do you have time for an interruption?" She presumably means herself, her fingers digging into the shallow dish to pluck out a saucy wing. "I always have time for those." Farideh's response comes with another one of those self-aimed smiles, for her lack of attention of her surroundings. "I don't take them enough. I think I've forgotten what the sky looks like, or a well-attended gather," comes with a slight sulk and a sigh. "How are you doing? Enjoying what's left of your weyrlinghood before reality comes crashing down?" She is teasing, of course, though her brow knits after a smile. "I wonder who's got their eye on you." "If you weren't so very busy," is said teasingly right back, "you could find out for me. But seeing as how gossip about which wingleaders want whom is competing with remembering what the sky looks like, I suppose I can forgive you." Lys smiles over her latest bite, chewing and swallowing before suggesting, "Maybe you should take a break. Keroon has a gather today, you know, and Nabol has one in a couple days. It seems like you deserve one with as hard as you've been working." "Oh, I wouldn't dare spoil the surprise." There's a cheekiness to her smile when she says that, which turns into a giggle and then an abrupt end to said giggling, her lips pursing. "That's K'del's domain, ultimately, but I think he leaves it up to the wingleaders to decide. Hopefully you get someone nice, like Mielline." Farideh rests her chin on her fist, watching Lys eat as she speaks. "I wouldn't mind going to Keroon, but it makes me antsy to leave. Irianke is gone and Jocelyn isn't yet graduated, and K'del has enough on his plate. It's silly, but I feel better when I'm here." "Oh, no," Lys agrees with exaggerated emphasis. Farideh? Spoil a surprise? Never! The blonde grins along with the goldrider's giggles. "Snowdrift does seem like it would be interesting. There's Jo there, of course, and Edyis. She seems to like it there." The greenrider licks some sauce from her lower lip and then plucks up a fresh wing saying, "I asked K'del about getting placed with your wing, actually, but he didn't see how that might be helpful and Irianke was gone before I could ask her about it. Too long a shot, I'd wager and maybe not for the best, anyway." There's a little shrug as she rolls that off. "Being here is a false sense of control, really," she assumes in her tone that Farideh knows that, "but if it helps how you feel, then there's no reason to rush away. After Jocelyn is graduated, then, or when Irianke's back, we'll go to some gather." She purses her lips. "We could get dressed up like we were going to a gather and drink ourselves silly in one of our weyrs," she suggests as an alternative, an amused smile briefly appearing for the idea. "Snowdrift is a solid wing, beyond Taiga and Tundra, and of course the others are fine too." Farideh tilts her chin on her hand, her hair falling off her shoulder and to the side. "It would be something you'd have to discuss with Irianke inevitably. It is still her wing and she has jurisdiction. I know she was interested in having people, with the skills, helping while I was pregnant, but I don't know how she'd feel about it now. I'd think you'd be as useful with diplomacy and other skills, if that's what you're after, in one of the wings that practices it. It's needed in that scope more," she replies, continuing her absent-minded stare. "It will have to be when Irianke returns, but--" But. "We could," of dressing up and playing pretend. "It was more... eyes and ears for the people who need to know things, since the wings, largely, report to K'del," Lys' voice is quieter as she explains. "I'm familiar with all three of you," goldriders, "so it seemed like it might be a good match, but the more I think on it, the more it seems like being obviously your woman," collective 'your,' "might close more doors than it opens in hearing and seeing things that are worth seeing and hearing." The greenrider doesn't seem inclined to linger over-long on that explanation though, instead asking with a lift of brows, "Would you want to? Could be just us or we could make a small party of it." The more the merrier? To a point? "You want to spy?" Surprised widens the goldrider's eyes and she lifts her head off her chin briefly to stare at the weyrling. "I never picked you for-- that type. Unfortunately, I don't think Aurora is the place for that. Everything we do is talked away and known before we even know, but you might-- well, you talked to K'del. Hm." Farideh seems to give it some thought, but there's no result from all that hard thinking as her expression clears and she smiles. "Would else would you want to invite?" Lys appears to mull the first word over, "I guess that's one way to put it. More... there's a lot of things that people won't tell goldriders because of who you are and what you represent. But just because they're things people won't tell you doesn't mean you shouldn't know those things." Or so the greenrider reasons. "I didn't really explain to K'del what I was thinking. Seemed like the kind of idea to bring to Irianke first, I just wanted to know if it would be possible." She shrugs her shoulders. "I'll end up wherever doing whatever. Evy and I'll be fine, however it works out." She chews through another wing as she thinks. "Not sure, really. I know a lot of people now, weirdly, but I don't know which ones would have fun with something like that. What about you? Anyone spring to mind?" Afternoon at Snowasis is chilly, while outside it's foggy. Goldrider and greenrider are sitting at a table, one enjoying hot wings and one simply listening while the other speaks. Again, chin is settled on fist. "We find out other ways," Farideh answers. "People might not tell us, but to think Irianke or K'del are without their own spies--" One shoulder lifts in a shrug, and then she purses her lips in thought another time. "I don't know. It might be safe to invite Quinlys, if she wanted to come. Perhaps all the weyrlings? Or, just the girls? Jocelyn. Maybe Jo." "I didn't suppose they were without them," Lys murmurs it, perhaps the fact that she just wants to be one of them may be communicated in the way she settles an earnest look on Farideh. She puts another bone down into the shallow dish and licks off her finger efficiently. "I'm not sure Quinlys would want to have a party with all the weyrlings, but Tela might. If Tela comes, Quinlys might." She follows the logic looking at her remaining few wings, "Want any?" is offered to the goldrider before, "Jo seems like the sort to like a party. Jocelyn..." She trails off, but looks amused. "Maybe Pia? She seems... perky. I think Silva would just show up to make fun of people, but maybe not." She purses her lips thinking. "Some of the boys would be put out if we only invite girls. They might crash it." Pia. Invite Pia! Or... she'll invite herself, possibly, as she does now by leaning in over an empty chair to include herself in the conversation between Lys and Farideh. Maybe she heard her name. "Are we having a party? I like parties, and it seems like a good time to have one, now that we're all so close," relatively, "to graduation. Hi, Lys! Weyrwoman!" And Farideh stares right back, because Farideh has no idea what she would do with a spy. "We can invite whomever you'd like. Quinlys, Telavi, all of those, perhaps--" She sits up in surprise when Pia inserts herself into the conversation. "Pia," is amused, "hello. We were just talking about having a pretend gather in my weyr. I was considering inviting the weyrling girls, or all of the weyrlings. What do you think?" Lys' hand flattens in a palm up gesture toward Pia, as if to say, 'See? Perky.' Nevertheless, she has a muted smile for the older weyrling. "I bet you could get Jounine to let us borrow some decorations from the stores," the greenrider reasons, looking to the goldrider. Then back to Pia, "You were a crafter. Do you know any harpers that might come play for free?" Free is probably important here. "What's the point of a gather without boys to dance with?" Pia wants to know. "Or you could have a pre-gather party in your weyr and then we could go to a real one, after we were all dolled up and sloshy." The brightness of her smile is predictable, of course, though if anything it becomes more enthusiastic as she speaks. Although: "I don't think I know any harpers, not really. Only a starcrafter, sorry!" The perkiness is catching, and Farideh laughs. "We thought we'd have a gather in my weyr because I'm a little loathe to leave the Weyr. We can hire a harper to play if you want, and we can invite the boys," though this last sounds grudging. "I think I know a few I could ask. What shall we have to eat? What shall we have to drink? Games?" She's looking between the two weyrlings, expectant. "What good are you then," Lys returns to Pia, but she exaggerates it to suggest she's only teasing, a close-lipped smiled spread wide on her lips, eyebrows lifting in pretend challenge to the 'just a starcrafter.' "If Quinlys comes, C'ris probably will, and his mother makes really tasty pastries. We could probably ask him to ask her." Use those connections! "V'ret-- might mix drinks for us if we get the booze. Or know someone from here who would," the greenrider's blue-green gaze casts toward the bar speculatively. Pia's, "Oh!" is cheerful, and if anything, perhaps even more delighted... though she pauses to give Farideh a speculative look, too. "She's not proddy again, is she? I'd've thought the greens from our clutches might rise again first, but everyone says they rose too early the first time, so..." The abrupt blink of her eyes suggests she might have lost track of her train of thought, and leaves her to actually go genuinely silent. For once. Except then she adds: "I could draw you a treasure map but I guess it's probably not that kind of party." "No," is emphatic, probably more than Farideh means it to be. "Roszadyth isn't rising anytime soon. I just have a lot to do and worry when I'm not here, you see." She says it like it's a simple explanation, glancing from Lys to Pia. "I think that's getting a little--" She sighs, but their enthusiasm is contagious still and she only shakes her head, smiling. "We can have drinks and pastries and all of the things you want, and if you want to draw a treasure map you're more than welcome. You can even use the complex as a hunting ground-- put little clues and-- I suppose there will have to be a prize," she says, lips twitching at the end. Lys stops. Her head turns slowly to give Pia a second look. "Maybe it should be that kind of party," is her opinion, clearly taken with the idea. "With clues to figure out to get from one destination to the next? And random drawings for teams." Clearly the idea is taking root in Lys' head. "But maybe we can rig the drawing so we don't have to spend time with anyone awful." Because that's what random means, right? She looks at the goldrider, lifting her brows in silent inquiry of what she thinks. "Prize for the fastest to complete?" Then she looks to Pia with that same silent question. Easily and unbothered: "Ok!" No flights for Roszadyth. That's just fine as far as this greenrider is concerned, though it seems equally true that she seems unbothered by all that Farideh has to do... and the potential for extra work that this party-in-planning may result in. "I do like drawing maps," she tells them both, managing not to actually wiggle. "Though I think if we work on it, we won't get to participate. Right? Because... we'd know." They both present valid points about this planned party, but Farideh leans forward and tells them, "Pia, you can create the map and I will plant the clues. You won't know where they are. I just need you to draw-- the map, and I will specify the places. That way you can compete with everyone else, and yes, whomever finds the prize first would get it, I suppose." And no, she's not telling anyone what said prize is, as she sits back to contemplate. "Unless-- well, it might be too much, for a fake gather?" "I don't really think very much is 'too much' in the name of fun, but..." Lys' brow is furrowed as she looks from fellow greenrider to goldrider, "Farideh, you should let me-- or us-" she offers a questioning look to Pia, "-plan it so you can participate. This started about making sure you got to have a little fun while being dutiful to your Weyr and all that." "Definitely not," is Pia's opinion. "No such thing, not for something like this." The approval in her tone has her beaming at Lys, then back at Farideh, though a furrow appears in her brow in response to the rest of what the other greenrider says. "Yes. Yes, she's right. You should let us do all of it, weyrwoman, so that you can enjoy yourself." This time, Farideh's laugh is louder, and she covers her mouth to staunch the sound. "You're both sweet, but I don't want to do this for the prize. I would it would be a nice graduation gift for all of you. I'm happy to have the company, and pretend eveything's not so serious all the time. I appreciate the thought, but-- let me do the clues, and you, can get yourself something fine for the future." Lys' blue-green gaze flicks between Pia and Farideh, considering, "Alright, but we get to help with everything else. The decorations, the food, everything else that might add to your workload. You give us a budget and the when and we'll set the rest up." She looks to Pia with a single raised brow, asking again with another of those silent questions, if she's on board with making this deal. Pia opens her mouth to argue with Farideh (or so it seems), but Lys gets in first, and the shorter of the two greenriders abruptly nods. "Yes," she says, managing not to add undue exclamation to the statement, as dark eyes focus briefly upon Lys. "We'll do everything else. Everything." A long, sideways look is given both the greenriders, and then her eyes narrow as she considers the newest of negotiation terms. "I'll let you all do everything with the help of my assistants. It is still my weyr," Farideh says, but then inclines her head regally. "I suppose we have an event to plan, then. When shall it be? I'll not have more than thirty-five people there at once. Thirty-five, but no more, so pick your guest list wisely." That leaves seven over the weyrlings, but she adds: "My assistants won't be there and the harper, or staff, don't count." "Deal," Lys will quickly accept the help of those who know the lay of the land. It seems like she's not going to stay to let other terms get worked out for she's sliding out of her seat, "I'll see you both later." She offers by way of quick farewell, picking up her dish and heading to drop it off at the bar before making for the chilly, foggy, uninviting bowl. "Deal," confirms Pia, with wiggles. It's probably a good thing she never sat down, the way she's bouncing about, even as she glances over her shoulder to watch Lys depart. "I suppose that means we can let people bring non-weyrlings that they're sleeping with, or something. I don't think there are all that many of them... though I don't actually keep track most of the time. People do what they do. It's kind of you to let us use your weyr, though, truly." With the terms set and the event on the way, Farideh can relax back into her seat and pick up her sandwich again, which is by now a little stale. "Who's sleeping with weyrfolk?" she asks, around a bite, eyebrows lifting in the aftermath of that gossip tidbit. "It's not a problem. It's only me in there now, and there's hardly enough of me to fill such a place. It'll be nice to have others utilizing the expensive sofas and glassware," might be a bit dry, but, it's hard to tell when she's stuffing her mouth full of food. Pia admits, after a moment's consideration, "I don't think I've been in-- no, I've never been into one of the ground weyrs. You must have terribly fancy things!" There's no envy in the greenrider's voice: this is simple statement of fact. "I don't know exactly who is sleeping with weyrfolk, but I'm pretty sure Tiska is. She won't tell us who it is she's seeing, though, or maybe it's just that she won't tell me, because she says I have a big mouth. Isn't your sailor around?" "Never ever? They are just weyrs like every other weyr, but they're big. Bigger than I ever thought a cavern inside a weyr could be, except for maybe the lower caverns." Farideh chases her sandwich with a glass of water, and then resettles in her chair to study Pia from across the table, all bit of her bouncy, wiggly self. "Tiska," she repeats, "I don't think I've heard anything about that, but you're so close to the end I suppose she can do whatever, or whomever, she likes. My sailor? Drex? Oh, no. He's out at sea," she answers, evenly. "Mine's small," admits Pia, "but it's still much larger than any room I ever had before. Lui won't let me sleep in her wallow with her, but I can still see her from bed, and that's nice." She swings, idly, back and forth, shifting her weight forward and backwards against the chair she's braced again. "You must miss him." "Is it too small? We can always find you another weyr, if it's too small, or too big, once you graduate." Farideh says it and then thinks better of it, "If there are openings." She watches the rambunctious movements of the other girl, but doesn't show any emotion beyond thoughtfulness. "I do and I don't. Having a weyrmate is different than having a lifemate. It's different. Sometimes I miss the space, but mostly--" Her mouth curves into a smile. "I miss him." Firm, enthusiastically firm, Pia shakes her head in response to the size of her weyr: evidently she's perfectly happy with small, if pleased to have been offered the opportunity. "I understand," is what she says, presumably in response to that last. "Sometimes they're around too much, but when they're not there at all... is he coming back? If he comes back and we're supposed to be having the party, you can cancel the party, you know. We'll understand." Pleased, Farideh maintains her smile, even with the occasional flick of eyes towards riders who pass by their table and eye the two women at it. "Did you have a boyfriend back at the crafthall? A girlfriend? I'm not sure if he's coming back, or when, but if he shows up while we're having our party, he'll just have to attend with everyone else. It's his fault for leaving, isn't it?" she asks, her smile widening, but it's short-lived as she asks, bluntly: "Do you ever miss your craft? Being a crafter without Weyr obligations, I mean. I'm sure you'll be able to explore your opportunities if you end up in Tundra." "No one serious or important," is Pia's answer to the first, made with a shrug that suggests she's largely unbothered. "I had a the biggest, hugest crush on one of my craftmasters when I was an apprentice, but he's gay, and I knew it even then, so." Of Drex, and the potential for his return, she simply nods. "I came to the Weyr because of Tundra. It's what I want. Having Lui will make my work so much easier, and that's important. I miss the freedom of being a journeyman, though, though I know it'll be different again when I graduate." "Really?" Farideh finds that immensely fascinating, if how her eyes light up at the weyrling's admission are any indication; and it's a fair one. "I used to have a crush on Lord Joremy, before he was a Lord," she says in a mock whisper that's loud enough for another within a few feet of their table to hear. "We always grow beyond that, thank Faranth." Her amusement subsides some and she merely nods her head at Pia, before saying, "It is a different experience every leg of the journey. When you're alone, when you're a weyrling, and when you're out of those shackles. I hope Tundra gives you everything that you're after." That admission makes Pia giggle. "Both of us, crushing on men old enough to be our fathers. What does that say about us, do you think?" She certainly doesn't know-- but she doesn't seem ashamed, either. "They're sweet, though. Aramio and Rivechi. Sweet together. So even when I was envious, I was... glad." She presses her lips together for a long moment, and then adds, "I hope so too. I know Lui has been everything I dreamed, but also completely different, and I'm sure... I'm sure it will work out. It has to, doesn't it? Because I'm a dragonrider, now, forever." "Does it say something about us? I always assumed it meant none of the boys my age were ever good enough," Farideh replies, lips quirking. "Don't you think?" Her smile is almost sly, or definitely sly, depending on how you look at it. It's less sly when she continues, meeting the weyrling's uncertainty with a bit of jadedness. "It will never be what you expect. It will be harder, less fun, and trying, but everything always works out, if not in the way you thought it would. Look at me," she says, lifting her hands, "I ran away from home to shirk responsibility." So wry. Pia's laughter is genuine, for that first, though her expression grows more serious, for the rest. "You ran away from home," is nonetheless more charmed than surprised. "But I think you ran away and found what you needed, even if you didn't know what you needed at the time. I know I'll be okay. Life's amazing, isn't it? Even when things aren't what you expected. Even different things are amazing." That's one way of putting it, and a way that Farideh finds amusing. "I don't know that I would call it amazing like that, but it's certainly-- different than I thought it would be. It always works out though. We are-- fortunate. We always have a home, we always have food and security. We have more than other people do, and I suppose that makes everything-- worth with? Worth the change?" Earnestly, "Oh, it absolutely is amazing. Did you ever think about all the different choices and events that led you to right now? If you'd changed just one thing, everything could be different altogether." Pia seems genuinely awed by this prospect. "What if I hadn't discovered mapmaking? What if I'd never been posted to Tillek? I wouldn't be here, if not for those things." "Oh, I don't know." Head slanting to the side, Farideh counters, "I feel like what happened was always what was meant to happen. Perhaps not in that sequence, perhaps different, but the end result always the same. Though, they do say, that whether you were there or not, your dragon would have Impressed someone, but then I wonder, because dragons go between when they don't find what they're looking for. It's happened." She pauses, exhales. "I can't imagine Rosadyth choosing anyone else." Pia does give this due consideration, but despite Farideh's points, doesn't seem swayed by the argument. "I think Lui would've found someone else. I don't know why she chose me, and she doesn't either, but... we do work. Maybe it's different with queens, except when was the last time a queen went between because they didn't find someone? It's a terrible thought." It is a terrible thought, and one that sobers the goldrider completely. "I can't even image such an event, but let us hope, beyond hope, that such a thing never happens at High Reaches. And Pia," Farideh says, sitting up straighter, "I do believe I should be getting back to work. It was lovely chatting with you-- we haven't had enough opportunities, but this," with a gesture to the papers on the table, "is unfortunately in need of my attention. But, you'll let me know if you need anything for the party?" Abruptly, Pia straightens. "Oh," she says. "No, of course! I didn't mean to take up all your time. I'm sure we'll talk again soon, for party planning." All thoughts of dead queens seem to have vanished from her thoughts; for now, she's much more focused on waggling her fingers at the goldrider, and then taking her leave. |
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