Logs:Someone Else, Somewhere Else
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| RL Date: 4 May, 2012 |
| Who: Brieli, K'del |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: K'del needs another late night meal. Newcomer Brieli keeps him company. |
| Where: Kitchens, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 8, Month 9, Turn 28 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: Tiriana/Mentions |
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| Kitchen, High Reaches Weyr Polished marble and granite surfaces, gleaming metalwork and pale woods characterize the vaulted fastness of the kitchen. Several large hearths gape red-mouthed against the outer wall of the cavern, their fires almost always stoked for the constant cooking the Weyr requires to feed its denizens. Sinks line the wall to one side of the hearths, providing ample space to wash large quantities of dishes, while to the other, cabinetry and a deep pantry provide storage space for items commonly needed on a day-to-day basis. The remaining wall space is taken up by passageways and extra seating: swinging doors that lead variously to the main living cavern, the inner caverns and the storage rooms, a counter-height pass-through for food service to the Snowasis, and a series of nooks equipped with tables and benches for quick, out-of-the-way meals any time of day.
K'del has been an increasingly common after-dinner visitor, of late - not every day, but enough that it's probably not a surprise, for the regulars, when he shows up. His movements are still careful, and his plaster-cast covered arm is still held in a sling, but the bruises on his face are beginning to fade. Climbing the stairs from the caverns, his expression is hopeful, and once at the top, he makes his way towards the kitchen workers, saying, "Evening. Don't suppose you can do me up a plate?" Again. No, the regulars aren't surprised as their laughter dies out and the Weyrleader comes up the stairs. With the injuries, it's difficult for them all not to immediately shift to sympathy, immediately agree, yes, of course. One girl asks, "Brieli, do you mind? Since we're all..." Returning free of trays, Brieli glances K'del's way - and there's a beat before she answers, perhaps that moment of recognition, or taking in his condition - but she smiles and nods easily. "Certainly. Is there anything to avoid? I'm afraid I don't know preferences." The regulars might, but they're already back to work. "I'm easy," promises K'del, with a bright smile for Brieli, though at the same time his blue-eyed gaze is studying her thoughtfully. "As long as I can eat it with one hand, anyway. You must be new?" His free hand, his good hand, gets shoved idly into his pocket, although a moment later he's adding, "I'll just sit over here, if that's okay? And thank you." "Be careful - I don't know how much they've put away already." Brieli offers another smile, this one with a touch more humor. Quickly filling a plate around the others, and doing her level best not to get in the way, "I don't think there's that much that requires slicing. And I believe that you can sit where you like - but that is out of the way, yes." It's once she brings over the plate along with cutlery and a napkin that she tells K'del pleasantly, "I am new. I've only been at the Weyr a few weeks. Do you eat late often enough that you know all the kitchen girls?" K'del's grin is rueful. "I'll do my level best," he says, presumably implying that he'll manage to be careful and stay out of the way. At least the spot he's chosen is conveniently off to one side, in one of the little alcoves. He sits, bad arm resting on the table, his head leaning back against the wall, and seems genuinely grateful when Brieli arrives with his plate. "Very new, then! Welcome to High Reaches. And to your question-- not until recently. It's easier than trying to fumble with queues and one-handed serving, though, and I try to avoid putting myself in a position where people might laugh at me." With a little grimace, Brieli notes with sympathy, "I can only imagine - the queues and so on. I've never had to deal with a broken bone. I don't know that I'd be the best patient. Or that I would enjoy being laughed at." Beat. "That said, do let me know if there's something that does need slicing." She nods to the plate, then offers up a smile. "Thank you for the welcome, Weyrleader. I think I might have been smarter to come up for the summer, but. It is what it is." Now that he's got his meal, K'del doesn't seem inclined to let Brieli go back to work - from the looks of it, he really wants the company. "I broke my hand a few turns ago," he admits. "But this is worse. Feel really pretty useless, but they assure me it was a clean break, and I'll be right again eventually." His free hand reaches from his fork, now, so that he can shuffle food around on his plate, even if he doesn't actually eat it. "You missed a beautiful summer, that's for sure. Where've you come from? You used to long winters?" And, a moment later, "I'm K'del. And you are--?" No one seems all that put out by Brieli wasting her time chatting with K'del, so either she's not on duty, or she's just that good at making friends. Leaning on the wall casually rather than sitting, she agrees, "That's what would bother me. I don't have terribly important duties, but it would drive me to distraction not being able to do them. But I suppose it could always be worse." She might mark the lack of actual eating, but she doesn't remark on it. Wryly, "Long enough, but not long like here, I think. I've come from Crom. And I'm Brieli. It's a pleasure to meet you, Weyrleader." 'Crom' certainly raises K'del's eyebrows, but he's obviously trying very hard not to make it look as though he's immediately distrusting Brieli as a result of it; he even manages to smile. "Being in the mountains always changes things a little. But then, we're also closer to the coast, so that makes a difference, too." It's such a casual remark, in the end, punctuated by - finally! - a forkful of food being aimed towards his mouth. After chewing and swallowing, he adds, "Nice to meet you, anyway, Brieli. You've come here for kitchen work?" The way the bronzerider raises his brows, the transparent shift and innocuous remark has Brieli looking mildly puzzled for a moment; then she seems enlightened, but unsure how to proceed. "I wasn't exactly a fan of winters at Crom. Or much of anything else. So hopefully, it won't matter that much to me. I've never been too bothered by a little shift in climate." With a quick smile for that, she shakes her head, glancing over at the kitchen girls. "No, I'm a seamstress. They just seemed a bit busy tonight, and it's the easiest way for me to figure out what's going on around here. I am sorry about your arm." Added as an afterthought; we don't need to go there. K'del's expression turns quizzical when Brieli first explains her job, but her explanation seems to satisfy him because a moment later, he's nodding his understanding. "That's generous of you. They're a nice bunch, though; a good way to get to know people." Of weather, he doesn't remark further - not least because he's taking another, exaggerated mouthful, although before it makes it into his mouth he adds, "Thank you. So am I, as it happens." Poor arm. "Everyone eventually comes to where the food is. Or something like that. And they all seem nice enough - it never hurts to be in with the people who'll make you a plate." Brieli grins a touch, nodding to the large forkfuls K'del is taking. Eyeing the arm in question for a moment, she asks, "So, in the interests of fairness, what do you think I ought to know is going on other than your arm and how and why it got broken? Because it does take up some little conversation still." Of course, now that Brieli has indicated his eating, and given K'del something to respond to, the fork gets set down entirely, and his hand moves to scratch at the fingertips of his other hand. "Some say the kitchens are the heart of a place, and I'm not sure I'd disagree." Her question, though - that takes some time for him to answer, mostly because he's looking thoughtful with a sucked in breath. Finally, "Other than my arm and all that entails? Seems like that's all anyone does talk about, these days, unless it's eggs-to-be, and that more or less counts as part of that topic of conversation anyway. What kind of things are you interested in?" With a nod, "I think I've heard that before. The kitchen fire." Brieli's gaze is drawn to the hearths briefly before looking back to K'del, the barely-touched plate. "Is the talk why you're not much up for eating? And people love a good scandal, especially with a little violence, don't they?" With a little shrug, she shifts in her lean to fold her arms, answering sincerely, "Anything, honestly. I asked a harper who to talk to, and you were on the list, but it seemed a given. I'd just like to know the place better if I'm planning on staying." "Just not terribly hungry these days," is K'del's explanation for the not-eating. "Trying to eat anyway, but it's not always so easy. Everyone keeps badgering me about it, too." His smile seems to indicate that he's not taking it personally, and perhaps even that he's not including Brieli in this. "They do. Particularly if it involves the Weyrwoman and I, I think." There's no pause between that and what he says next, although what comes next is obviously in response to Brieli's explanation. "Tiriana and I have always had a difficult relationship; it's no wonder that it's come to this. But we've done well by the weyr, despite things out of our control. We're making extra income through Boll, and though things briefly looked touchy with Tillek, they seem to be looking up. Our last group of weyrlings'll graduate shortly. We're in a good position for the upcoming winter." Booooooring. "Maybe they just don't understand it? I don't remember too many times where I haven't been hungry, maybe it's a similar sort of thing." Brieli shrugs a little, tilting her head to the side as she listens to K'del, taking it all in. Careful, "It's good that you've managed to do decently despite the difficulties of the relationship. We don't hear all that much about the particulars outside, so it's the first I've really heard of it." So there's that? She doesn't look /too/ bored by the overview, but one thing interests her more than dragons or politics: "How did you manage to make extra money out of Boll? If you don't mind my asking..." K'del's low-toned "Mmm," seems to be intended to answer the topic of food and hunger; certainly, he doesn't make any other remark on the subject. Glancing sidelong at Brieli, he studies her thoughtfully for long moments before answering, though his expression remains inclined towards neutrality. "Glad I can be enlightening, then. Guess I always forget how little spreads around, when there aren't dragons gossiping all over. Boll - well, after Fort started having more difficult relations with Boll, we stepped in, I guess. We've been offering pay-per-use services to them, until such time as relations between them improve." There's something hesitant about how he says that, as though he's not entirely uncomfortable with it, despite very obviously having put it into action in the first place. Brieli offers something of an enigmatic smile, noting, "Gossip gets around, just much more slowly. Or perhaps it takes forever to filter down to seamstress-level." Maybe Lords and Ladies know things faster, she's not in that loop. K'del's explanation of the arrangement with Boll has her briefly lifting her own brows now, a near-mirror of the Weyrleader earlier. "Well, I suppose the tithes have to go somewhere," she says, straightening. "Would you like something to drink? I'm getting a mug of klah." "I'm surprised. All those women, sitting together. Sewing doesn't take all your attention, does it?" But it's a light tease, one that comes accompanied by a smile, and the amendment, "I suppose you mostly focus on what's near to home." Watching her, he hesitates at her response to his explanation, but doesn't say anything on it - just a careful nod that is followed shortly by, "Tea, if there is some, please? Won't sleep, if I have klah now." He'll watch her go, too: not suspiciously, not concernedly, but instead with a certain amount of thoughtfulness. It's a kitchen, there's everything! Brieli is quick enough to find tea and water, apparently oblivious to any observation, and bring back both steaming mugs. As she returns, "It's about that. Easier to talk about the people you know, though the big things get in there - hatchings and so on. But I think it's the nature of gossip to be local - too far away, no one cares." She sets K'del's mug down next to his plate, then adds, "Sewing can't take all your attention after awhile, if it's just mending. Listening or talking is all that will keep you sane." K'del accepts the mug with a grateful smile, wrapping the fingers of his good hand around it, though all he does after that is drag it closer. "But you like what you do?" he wonders, then, turning the questioning away from himself in the process. "Seems like it's something in common with the kitchen cleanup crews, though less with pre-meal preparation, I guess. No sudden emergencies or boiling over pots, or whatever." After a sip at her mug, Brieli considers the question before, "I like it enough. I usually work with people I like, or on my own, and it's satisfying to be productive. I like it better than I would here, I think. The stress." She flutters her free hand at the side of her head, shaking it after. "As you say. The emergencies are not my forte. The only emergency I'm like to get are a split pair of trousers or a fallen hem." Flashing a smile for K'del, "Low-stress, low-excitement. There are tradeoffs." That makes K'del laugh, and he agrees, "There are definite benefits to professions that lack the emergency factor. Reckon I could do with fewer of them-- though I can't really complain." He did, after all, recently get an opportunity to throw it all in. "Anyway, glad it works for you. Know I definitely appreciate there being someone to fix those hem issues when I need it." His smile is genuine enough, though matched with another lingering glance at the Seamstress. "What brought you to the weyr? Change of scenery?" Brieli muses over her mug, "You'd think that there wouldn't be so many emergencies any more - but I imagine people make their own emergencies that need dealing with." Her lips purse a touch as her gaze shifts to K'del's arm again. "Mm. Complain too much and I'm sure there's someone who'd be more than happy to remind you of your failings. Or take the duties off your hands. No one's lined up to supplant seamstresses, I'm afraid." Letting loose a laugh, she agrees, "I'll be your girl for skirt difficulties, certainly." As to the Weyr, she gives over a bit of a sigh before, "More or less. There hasn't been much to keep me at the Hold over the past few turns. It seemed like... time to go." "That's what people do," confirms K'del, laughing, though there's a note of seriousness to his tone all the same. His nod is less certain for most of the rest of what she says; he doesn't seem to have anything to say in response, not immediately, and instead busies himself with his mug, with blowing on the hot liquid and then taking a cautious sip. "Understand that. Change is important. Being willing to - make a move. That's also important. Weyr's good for starting over." He glances down into his mug, then, finally, sets it back down again. "That they do." Brieli's own tone has its note of seriousness, and she has a moment for her own mug, looking down into it before taking a long drink. "Is it good for starting over?" she asks, almost sharply, almost abruptly. She glances over to K'del with an unreadable expression for a beat before it shades closer to curiosity. Shaking her head a little as if shaking that moment off, "I mean, do a lot of people try that? Come here looking to make a change?" That sharpness seems to surprise K'del, whose gaze shoots up from the table and his mug so that he can stare at Brieli. Her shaking off of the moment draws a pause, but finally, a few moments later, he says, "Lots, I think. People tend to think of the weyr as being more relaxed - a different environment. So you get people who weren't happy, or people who want to be something different, someone different. Things like that. It's not so uncommon." Brieli has the grace to look embarrassed about whatever that was, looking into her mug as she draws K'del's stare - maybe someone's had a mug too many. After his explanation, she nods a little, tucking a few dark strands of hair behind one ear. "It makes sense. I don't think too many people consider moving to another Hold or similar. And I think everyone might want to be someone different some days. It's just a bit easier for some of us." She flashes a brief, apologetic smile before noting, "I really should go see if I have anything that needs to be done for first thing tomorrow. And leave you eat dinner. Or not." She's not going to judge. Not here, anyway. The glance K'del aims down at his food is almost guilty, rather as though he'd completely forgotten that it was there, and that he was, in fact, supposed to be eating. "Of course," he says, though, as he glances back up. "It was nice to meet you, Brieli. Good luck with-- everything here, okay? Hope the weyr treats you well." He'll even pick up his fork again, as though he really is going to start eating. "Thank you. I think it will. And it was nice to meet you too, K'del. I hope your arm feels better soon." That last, at least, sounds entirely sincere. Brieli tries not to notice how K'del's looking all guilty about dinner, but instead is sure to offer a bright smile before going to rinse out her mug and have a quick goodbye chat with the girls still around the sinks before darting back into the caverns. From whence she came! |
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