Logs:Roads which lead to entertainment and ruin.
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| RL Date: 6 February, 2014 |
| Who: Edyis, Leova, R'hin |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: R'hin crashes one of Leova's dragonhealing lessons. Speculation runs wild. |
| Where: Dragon Infirmary, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 5, Month 13, Turn 33 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: Bristia/Mentions |
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| Dragon Infirmary, High Reaches Weyr The vast cavern has much the same odor of redwort and numbweed as the human infirmary, though here it's seasoned with coppery ichor rather than the iron of blood. It's also laid out similarly though on a much more massive scale, its walls lined with a number of places for patients, in this case large dragon couches recessed into the floor for ease of access; nearby cots provide space for riders. Tucked into the western curve is a huge circulating pool of warm water, by which are kept vats of oil. The healers' duty station is a counter on the north side of the room, a checkpoint before the storage rooms behind it that are now shared with the human infirmary, hosting supplies that are as neatly labeled and carefully scrubbed as the rest of the infirmary. The senior dragonhealer has an office there as well, and human-sized double doors have recently been built as a direct route to the human infirmary, while opposite a wide winding tunnel leads to the east bowl. So far during these meetups, there's been a lot of information plus some practicals and theory, once a seven or so. This time, Leova's seated as usual on a stool, eating her lunch... but what's different is the broom leaning against the edge of the counter right next to her. It's a perfectly ordinary-looking broom, it's just never been right there before.
"It's for you." The dragonhealer has a quick, one-cornered smile to go with it. "I'd like to see you sweep. Tell me what you remember about the lecture, while you're at it." Meanwhile, she'll just eat her lunch, flatbread wrapped about cooked ground meat and only the cooks know what else. The young scribe exhales pulling a bottle from the basket and pouring it into a clay cup, taking a deep sip before closing her eyes. "The largest difference between records on hide verses paper, is the expense. During pass, paper is prohibitively expensive, though during interval less so. Paper does not last as long as hide but it is easier to produce and takes less time to cure. So it's perfect for things like correspondence, where the information will not need to last a long time. Hide however, has a much longer preparation process, which involves trimming animal skins to incredibly thin layers and then polishing. It is an incredibly painstaking process, but can last for hundreds of turns." She exhales, "Paraphrased, for the sake of clarity. The whole infirmary?" She asks, snagging a sandwich from the basket once her eyes open, stuffing it down before grabbing the broom. For that, there's a brief nod, unsurprised. For the sweeping: "Start with what's," Leova gestures some paces off, "thataway. Don't want dust in my food. Talk at the same time." About what, she doesn't specify. She does keep an eye on the girl's technique. "Really. This is what you have her working on in your classes, wild cat? Such a waste of time." Why yes, the peanut gallery also known as R'hin appears somewhere behind Leova, his quiet words designed to surprise. A swig from the bottle and she's actually started in the left most corner of the room, using short brisk strokes that overlap, letting the broom bristles get into the uneven crevices on the floor. R'hin's voice has brown eyes darting up and spotting him. Clearly she didn't think he'd actually drop in so soon. Or at all. Her shoulders tense, her hand tightens. The food doesn't drop, but her thumb's gotten into the filling now where it hadn't before. "Now, R'hin," Leova says. Her voice is placid. She doesn't look back. "This is journeyman-level sweeping. In code." R'hin's fingers, meanwhile, find their way to Leova's shoulders. "So tense," he reports. "It isn't Vrianth, is it?" It's a distraction, not anything he actually seems to believe. Is that a wink for Edyis from the bronzerider over her teacher's shoulder? "Every lesson serves a purpose no matter how inane it might seem. Just ask Bristia, I'm pretty sure she had me memorize a chalkboard only to change it when I wasn't looking." The mild tone of irritation might suggest she's still not entirely over that event. Edyis doesn't stop sweeping, but rather watches R'hin and Leova out of the corner of her eye. "Though I'm not entirely sure what Journeyman level sweeping means precisely..." Tense, and they stay that way, after the initial jump of muscle beneath his hands. "If it were..." Leova more says than asks, her voice low until she raises it to carry to Edyis. "You haven't reached journeyman-level explanations." Again to R'hin, again low but still quite able to be overheard, "Would you leave?" "Bristia, a harper, cheating?" R'hin manages to express mock-shock at such an occurrence. "Surely you've misjudged her." The bronzerider, meanwhile, appears to be attempting to work out some of that tension from Leova's shoulders, applying pressure in just the right location. As for the greenrider's request, his tone is light, humorous, as he murmurs in reply: "I promised Edyis I'd drop by. You wouldn't want to disappoint the girl, would you?" "I think it's impossible to misjudge Bristia, she's far too efficient at what she does." There might be a hint of admiration in those words. "I do appreciate the consideration you've shown by dropping in, but please don't anger the instructor who has been so generous as to teach me dragon healing during her lunch hours." More furious sweeping, the floors shall be extra clean today. "If that's your priority," Leova says, with what would be a one-shouldered shrug. She glances back at R'hin. Pauses. Deliberately relaxes those shoulders, only then a little more that mightn't be so deliberately. "Edyis? Since you've anticipated my question. Please tell our visitor why you think I'm asking you to sweep. And tell me about how you managed to run into the good greenrider." There's a knowing sort of chuckle from R'hin at Edyis' assessment of Bristia. "Don't worry, I wouldn't tell on you to her if you say something bad." A low chuckle, and the bronzerider lets his hands slip free of Leova's shoulder. Either he believes her attempt or he's humoring her -- the latter more likely. And if there's an attempt to catch Edyis' eye and give the faintest shakes of head at Leova's questioning of Bristia's acquaintance, well. He's still standing behind the greenrider, so there's that. "Did you bring enough lunch for Edyis, too? Or is that part of the... lesson?" he wonders, of Leova. The scribe-in-training gets to do a lot of explaining today. Moving mid-room she doesn't stop sweeping. "I've been considering the possibility of taking the test for Harper hall. Bristia has been kindly instructing me on some of the finer points of harpering that I might be able to make a more informed decision as to what path I might take in the future. The first lesson was a good one in retrospect. Consider the source of the information and the difference between the truth and the publicly consumed truth and who is more likely to be believed. A prime example might be the Weyr's support of Lady Ienavi, despite the fact that there is no evidence supporting her claim as truth. As for lunch, I actually brought extra food today in that basket, for anyone who would like some. Incase you hadn't had time to grab food for yourself Leova." "Ordinarily I have her forage in the infirmary," Leova tells R'hin matter-of-factly. "Today," Edyis proves to have good timing. The greenrider doesn't roll her shoulders once released, but there's something to the way she resumes eating that suggests a stretch. The quick smile for the girl's reply is followed by, "See, R'hin, you needn't steal mine. So. Edyis. About the sweeping?" that earlier question. And: "Finer points. You wouldn't find yourself too old, then? To change your life around. Some more." "Nevermind I've tried to convince her harpering is a terrible idea, but -- you know, teenage girls have a way of ignoring me that'd be impressive if it weren't so frustrating." R'hin's chuckle suggests he might well be referring to his own daughters as much as Edyis. He spreads his hands as if to ward off any ill-will: "I'm here for the lovely, vibrant company of two charming ladies, not the food. Though in my head, dragonhealing lessons were a lot more interesting. You know, like strip-poker to decide who gets to treat the next dragon, or something thrilling like that." "It was an idle thought, I don't know what my age has to do with anything, it certainly hasn't stopped me from learning dragonhealing or scribe work has it?" She points out thoughtfully, "Just exploring options, I'm not sure how taking the test is any different than standing for the eggs almost a turn ago." But that's not entirely the question she intended. Her cheeks darken at R'hin's statement, but she does try to ignore it for the moment. "Considering that I'm not working with a grooming brush, I can only assume that the lesson today is about preventing infection by keeping as sterile an environment as possible. " "What, even the ones unrelated to you?" but Leova laughs, too. Briefly. More dry by far is, "That's for when girls younger than your daughters aren't about. You should drop by when U'sot's in the mood." To Edyis herself, "Partly it's that. Partly it's about, hm. Not thinking oneself above more menial tasks, if you see what I mean." That amber gaze considers her, level. "Standing? It's your whole life turned over, but you're out in a couple Turns, no take-backs. Don't want 'em too young or too old. Apprenticeship? Turns longer, and girls your age are going on without you." But. "R'hin," for it does come back to him, "how old were you when you Impressed? How was it for you, adjusting? That you'd tell Edyis, here." "There's strip parties to see who gets to heal injured patients? No wonder I grew up thinking Weyrs where places for debauchery." Dry, but for the spark of mischief in her eyes. "I guess I may be a little old for the hall, but I hadn't really thought myself so far behind, before. Well if the hall is out, and impression - Wonder what that leaves..." Edyis shrugs, working her way over to the other side of the room. "'Investments.'" That smoky alto all but tastes it. Leova does look back at R'hin, finally, thoughtfully. "Nigh on that. Wouldn't argue, regarding recommendations. Vrianth was, hm. Persuasive." Whatever it is that shades her voice, layer on layer, she doesn't now elaborate. Rather, to Edyis again, "Not saying the Hall is out. Just. Got to be up for the trade-offs." "There are other options," R'hin throws out casually in response to Edyis. His gaze flickers to Leova, a sharp nod of head seemingly agreement at her comment of persuasive; he doesn't ask for further details, as if for him that's enough. Then, on the heels of Leova's latter words, he adds to Edyis, "Besides, if you apprenticed, you'd have to go to the Hall, and wouldn't be able to bask in the glory of my presence." He shakes his head dramatically, as if such an outcome would be some sort of crime. "Don't think I haven't forgotten you still owe me one record in good condition, that is still overdue." Edyis eyes R'hin with a laugh. "If it relies on musical ability the Hall is out anyway, I just - I wanted to see if I could do it, If I could test in. More as a measure of how far I've come. I'm the kind of person who wastes away without some sort of goal in mind." She admits, moving to tidy up the dust pile. "What options would you... recommend?" Leova inquires. "That would still let her, ah. Bask. And not waste, away or otherwise." To Edyis, though she hasn't looked away from the girl, "Keep in mind that Monaco is expected to call him back. One day or another. Don't know as you're prepared to follow. Meantime, at least there's a dustpan." The tilt of her chin points out it and the hook from which it hangs. With a chuckle, R'hin holds up both his hands, pale eyes glimmering, "Guilty as charged," he responds to Edyis. "I'll remember -- when it's time," he says, like he's deliberately trying to be mysterious. Tapping a finger against his lips, he shakes his head to Leova: "Career advice costs. A good bottle of red, I'd suggest. You could use some too, in fact," he adds, like an afterthought. Then: "You never know. I might have plans to snatch all the talented people away from High Reaches back to Monaco with me." "Why would I follow him?" Perhaps wondering exactly what Leova has interpreted all of this as. "Monaco may be trying to pawn him off on Reaches permanently by stationing him here when the next queen due to rise just happens to be the senior." She points out a fact which has bothered her for some time. Still at mention of the red, once the dust is neatly swept up and dumped in a bin, she indicates the bottle on the counter from which she'd poured her own glass earlier. "Don't think you can escape an honest answer so easily." "Mm. Well. If you're sharing," Leova supposes as though he were suggesting. For Edyis, "Why wouldn't you?" just before she swivels on her stool to openly get a better look at the bronzerider. Her meal is eaten. The dust is swept. She can, rather than move into immediate preparations for her next appointment, quite nearly smile. "Hah. Neither Monaco nor I want that particular job. Not that the Weyrwoman isn't a lovely person," R'hin adds, somewhat amusedly. As for Edyis' last: "What, me?" full of innocence and a press of hand against his chest. "I'd answer, but by complete coincidence, Leiventh has just informed me there's something totally, utterly urgent that I need to tend to." With a grin that suggests he's well aware the lie is obvious, he's striding for the bowl exit. Edyis just laughs, and thumbs in his departing direction. "That would be why, and besides, I'm still intending to remain the paragon of youthful innocence for a few turns yet." In a that road only leads to entertainment and ruin tone. "Don't forget the book please." She calls after him. Pitched to carry in lieu of applause, "Looks as though he just did." Leova does have an eye for Edyis in truth, then. Edyis, and that alleged innocence. But all she says is, "Got a healing wing coming in shortly," presumably with dragon attached. "Can stay if you got a couple minutes more." Since the girl had swept. Either way, she's work to do. |
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