Difference between revisions of "Logs:Barefoot"

Greenhouse, High Reaches Weyr

A rustic and unadorned vestibule leads in from hewn spiral steps to a refitted ledge, enclosed by limestone pillars. Sturdy wooden framework captures elongated glass panes, tilted to absorb the most light during the day. The wash of heat from within, lush and humid, persists even into the dead of winter; the air is heady with the scent of fresh-turned soil and various flora.

Long, deep troughs of soil line the inner stone wall, planted with an assortment of broad, leafy tropicals - practical and decorative alike. Fruit and vegetable baskets hang from rafters, optimizing space, tempting in reach with a perpetually ripening harvest. A series of stone shelving is devoted to flourishing, aromatic herbs and new green shoots; even the softest touch releases a burst of savory scent from tender leaves. Amidst the greenery, a handful of wooden benches have been scattered, making this a temptingly warm and secluded spot to sit.

Shuttered vents serve to regulate humidity and heat given off from a small hot spring recessed into an alcove at the back; a secondary pool with cooler waters siphons off to provide a constant, fresh supply for irrigation. A small potting station nearby is cluttered with watering cans and gardening tools of various uses, with a wooden bin for composting materials tucked underneath.

Watering, watering, watering -- it's watering time, and Hypatia is doing her best, apparently, to make watering time fun. In her case, that means that she is dancing around the greenhouse barefoot, wearing a sundress, hair down and loose, singing a tune with no words so much as just syllables to keep the music going without having to hum instead, while carrying her watering can from plant to plant and making indoor rain to supplement what the pools supply. Perhaps it's a bit unusual; perhaps it's entirely characteristic. She certainly seems to be enjoying it, at least.

Well if it's not unusual, it's still definitely not what Emme was expecting when she stepped into the garden! "Welllll, hello there Hypatia. Aren't you cheerful today." The greeting is only mildly tongue in cheek as the brownrider steps into the gardens to head for a particular section of aromatic herbs.

Delicate and faintly musical hum announces Azaylia as she enters, any tension from overworked frame oozing out the bottom of her feet. Which also happen to be bare, her boots held in one hand as she takes the first steps into squishy, muddy soil. Eyes open to catch sight of Hypatia acting... well, like Azaylia. When she knows no one is looking, that is. And, Emme! "I-It's a beautiful, warm sun-shiny summer day. Who wouldn't be cheerful?" And did the Herder mention that it's /warm/?

Whirling around to face the new entrants, Hypatia looks a bit tired but otherwise not really embarrassed, she raises the watering can in salute to Azaylia's explanation as the beastcrafter and brownrider walk in. "Watering can be terribly boring, but enjoying the weather generally isn't, and prancing about like a child makes the task go by more easily! Also, I'm sure the plants are thrilled by the warmth and the added water both, why shouldn't I be, hm?"

For some reason the sight of someone voluntarily cavorting in muddy soil makes Emme smile with a bit of puzzled nostalgia in her expression. "There are some people I expect to see barefoot. But I always assume people brought up... here, just always wear shoes. Because, well, shoes. You have them. It's fun to see that I'm wrong." she quips, perhaps looking a bit sheepish when Hypatia opens up about the warmth. "Yes, it's rather warm. I'm going to head back into the cooler caves soon. I wanted some herbs to hang, for their scent. It'll help me sleep." She, of course, is wearing her predictable long sleeves despite the heat.

Toren is looking for a nice gift to give his mom and he doesn't have that many marks to spend. He has come to the greenhouse so that he can see how much some plants would be so that he can give to his mother. He spots some ladies here and he gives a smile, "Hello there, how are you all doing?"

Azaylia has the same tired, though happy aura as she walks deeper into the greenhouse. Hypatia's explination sustains a small smile on the apprentice's face, dropping her shoes off on a wooden bench just as Emme comments on their existance. She bites her lower lip, though releases it all too soon, "I actually, uhm. Prefer not to wear them. Is that... weird?" Eyes bounce between both of them, curious. Toren's entrance has her glancing over her shoulder, smile brightening at all of the familiar faces! "Hello."

"Shoes are kind of overrated," Hypatia agrees, though she's kind of blase about it, tone neutral as she waters another plant. "Sometimes it's nice to take a break from them, and a day when you're in a humid greenhouse and it's warm just about everywhere -- why bother? Hi, Toren." She hops to the next plant, giving it a nice long soak, and queries vaguely Emme-wards, "Do you mean here like the Reaches, or here like not the islands? Very different answers. Though I think everyone likes to go barefoot sometimes, regardless."

"No, no... I'm not saying it's weird. I just... the first thing /I/ grabbed when I had the chance was find nice, warm shoes." Emme explains. "Seeing you happily without them reminds me of the summers on the island. In a good way." is clarified, a glance up at the entrance when Toren enters cutting off her conversation so that she can nod a greeting. "Hello." is replied, in polite tones. "I meant here as in 'not on the island'. I suppose if a place is hot all the time, it would be more likely someone wouldn't wear shoes at all if they had a choice. Hmm."

Toren feels a bit out of place wearing boots and he slips out of them and starts to walk in bare feet. He picks up his boots and hangs them over his shoulder as he walks towards the others, "Is anyone in charge around here I would like to talk to someone about getting a plant or two for my mom. She's been working really hard with the children and I was thinking she might need a pick me up."

Azaylia watches Hypatia water the plants with as much envy as she can muster... which isn't a lot, really. In fact, she looks more curious than anything. "That's different." She comments, distractedly. Luckily, the young woman realizes that she's verbalized her opinion on Emme's previous quest for shoes. "Maybe because you didn't, uhm, have them when you needed them? ...gee, now I'm worried I might be taking my poor old boots for granted." However she may wilt, Toren has her blooming once again, hands folding under her chin. "Oh my that's so sweet. I'm sure your mother will love it." Excited voice is still quiet, though it seems as if she doesn't know who is in charge.

Hypatia hesitates for a minute, focusing more on the watering even as she's listening as words go by her ears. Recording them doesn't mean she's responding to them; not at first. Finally, she speaks up, "I think that would be the herbalists and the gardeners, none of whom are actually here at the moment. I can't actually let you take a cutting even though I work with the plants for classes, but you can go ahead and just look at them, see which one you like. Have you got a pot?"

"Oh don't be daft." Emme turns playfully scolding at the idea of taking old boots for granted. "I'm the one with the weird 'thing' about shoes, not you!" She even twirls a finger in circles at her temple to demonstrate. See? Kinda loopy here. "That really is a very nice gesture. I'm sure your mum will be pleased with it." she adds, before leaning over to sniff a patch of lavender. "Mmmm, there's some of this already dried in sachets nearby, aren't there Hypatia? Maybe I'll just grab one of those and stuff it under my pillow."

Toren smiles at the trio of girls, "Thanks, I sure hope she does. Only I've never picked out flowers before. What kind should I get her? What kind do you all like?" He asks as he looks around and shakes his head, "No do they have one here that I could buy?"

Azaylia squeaks at being called daft, or rather being told not to be so. It's a sound of surprise instead of hurt, which means the giggle slips from her lips easily enough at Emme's finger-twirl. "I'll stop, then." She vows, attempting to hide her smile-turned-grin with a duck of her head. Though the more Toren and Hypatia talk, the more her head tilts to peek over, intrigued. "So... anyone with a pot and maybe a mark or two can take a pet flower from the greenhouse?"

"It might knock you out," Hypatia warns Emme with a sidelong grin in her direction. "Some part of the population reacts terribly strongly to it, but if you've got it under your pillow I also suppose that's what you want, isn't it? Anyway -- there are. Sachets. You can take one, if you want." Like she can give permission; but if no one else is assuming control, well, she will. She is at least a healer and presently working there. "I don't actually know, Zay. I've not asked. Some of these plants wouldn't actually survive outside a greenhouse. Like my favorite, unfortunately," is meant more for Toren. Using her watering-can-free hand, she points at a large beige-colored tropical flower.

Emme tilts her head a bit to the side and allows her gaze to stray towards the entrance again. "I'm being summoned. Apparently Rhazekth has an itchy spot that he can't reach." She does grab a sachet of lavender before slipping out though. "Thanks! Knocked out is exactly what I want, else I'm up all night." is called over her shoulder. "Nice to see you all!"

Toren hmms, "I hope so." He looks around for a pot that he can have, "I don't want a very big flower, just something nice that she can have. Something that will survive for a while and doesn't require very much care." He looks around at the plants.

Azaylia is late to respond to Toren, so enamored with the thought of having a potted plant next to her bed. "I... don't think I have a favorite." Not that she's much help even when she does answer. "If I did, it'd be blue and yellow, I think." She offers a gentle hypathetical. Hands rise to overlap fingertips, pressing them against her lips in overly dramatic shock! Whereas others might offer sarcasm, Azaylia is genuine in her horror. "Oh, then I don't think I want to take any. I'd hate to accidentally murder any of the pretty flowers." Fingers are gentle as she strokes the petals of a tall, though somewhat plain blossom nearby. She didn't mean it, flowery friends.

"Eeeeh," says Hypatia, looking a mix of concerned and guilty as Toren continues to talk. She redirects her focus on the watering again, perhaps as if to not have to be looking anyone in the eye when she says: "I'm no expert on plants. I don't think I could narrow it down so well; you might want to talk to a botanist. When one is here. And I don't actually know when that is, either -- sorry." Azaylia's comment at least draws her back out of her guilt at letting someone down, just enough to say, "You can always come visit them here. I can tell they love you."

Toren nods a little bit, "I guess I'll just have to wait until there is a botanist around so I can ask them." He looks to Azaylia, "That's what I'm afraid of too I don't want to pick the wrong flower and have it dying on her. I need something hearty that flowers." He looks over towards the flower that Hypatia points out, "That's a beautiful flower. Did you grow that one yourself? Do you plant your own medical herbs?"

Azaylia tilts her head, giving Hypatia a little quirk of her lips as she plays along. "Really? I've never had any luck with flowers before... just animals." Though she's still stroking that fauna, seeming to realize that fact as her arm suddenly drops to her side. "But... visiting sounds nice. Does it stay this warm in winter?" Because she just may have a new hideout. Concerned brows pinch together faintly at Toren's words, nodding along with him. "That'd be just awful, so I understand. Maybe if I come in later and see a botanist I can ask for you?" As it really does seem like she may make a habit of visiting, leaving her generously sized footprints in the soil at a leisurely pace.

Laughing, Hypatia nods at Azaylia's question -- the one regarding the temperature, anyway. "It does. Well, maybe it's not quite this warm, but it stays pretty warm. I'm hiding in here a lot in the winter and I'm used to High Reaches winters!" Toren's query has her shaking her head, though; despite that, she seems almost honored as she replies, "Oh. No. Gosh no, I couldn't grow anything like that. I can pick up greenhouse chores but I don't really -- I'm not an apothecary. I study infections. Usually I'm asking other people to mix up medicines; I can do it but I'm not too fantastic."

Toren smiles, "I bet that it probably had to be nice and warm to keep all the plants growing, how do they heat it? Do they use the thermals or do they use wood fire?" He asks curiously and he nods, "I understand what you mean. I'm really good at playing and singing, but composing is rather difficult for me."

And lo, Hypatia did say that the greenhouse stays warm during the harsh High Reaches Winter, and yay, Azaylia did so gaze upon her with eyes far too big for her head in barely contained glee. And it was good. "We should have picnics." Comes the barely audible whisper of awe from the apprentice. With a little wiggle, she does her best to sink into an unmarked patch of wet earth, toes burrowing like bronze grubs. "I think... a lot of people have trouble with certain parts of their craft. I don't like..." She lifts her gaze, looking elsewhere as she gets the words out, "..making geldings."

Apparently, the part of her craft that Hypatia has trouble with is knowing at all how anything about gardening works, because her answer to the questions is basically: "Don't have a clue. I mean, I know there's a hot spring back there, and that the glass helps bring in heat during the summer -- but how they keep it rather warm in the winter overall? I don't know. I don't know I was ever taught in the first place, really." She shrugs, and changes which section of plants she's watering, feet going squish into the mud until at one point one of them almost sinks in. She yelps quietly, pulling it out, and at least does not up-end the watering can. "I like you, mud," she mutters, "why are you trying to eat me? Is that really necessary?"

Toren hmms, "Maybe they use some kind of special glass to keep the heat in and not let it out. Ooh a hot spring that is great." He looks over at Azaylia, "A picnic sounds great. I'll bring the music. What are you two going to bring?"

Azaylia giggles softly at Toren's enthusiasm, "It was just an idea, you know, when it starts to get cold here again." Phantom chill sets in, fighting momentarily with the humidity in the air, the cause of her sudden case of goosebumps. Hypatia's yelp has her head snapping towards the healer, eyes wide and frozen like a frightened animal. False alarm, and she gives a slow sigh of relief, "It might be because you're so sweet." Words drip with Azaylia's own brand of genuine saccharine goodness.

"What? Oh." It actually took Hypatia a moment to realize that Azaylia was talking about her, and considering the mud's taste in human feet rather than saying something about Toren being sweet. She looks at the harper and beastcrafter between plants, holding up her watering can practically next to her head as she does so. "Me. Right. I don't actually think I am, Zay; think that'd be you. A picnic in the winter might be interesting, though I've never eaten anything more than soup in here. Wouldn't want to make a mess."

Azaylia pauses in her steps as Hypatia disagrees, though the compliment keeps her from doing much else but ducking her head. It's a second for her to recover, though the words still bashful, "I think you are." Though there's no real weight to them, just incase she might offend. Something blue catches her eye, and she turns to inspect the pastel petals of a different flower. "I wouldn't want to make a mess either... It was just an idea." She repeats, sounding still a touch hopeful. "And we could be very, very careful." Another soul journey's into the greenhouse- a Journeyman, at that. Flaming red hair gets a ruffling as the rather robust Beastcrafter just stands and waits. Azaylia seems to sense his presence, turning and giving Mack a beaming smile before it's turned onto Hypatia and Toren. "Looks like I'm being stolen away." Though she doesn't look too upset by that fact.

Hypatia is nearly done watering, at least -- so she'll get to dinner soon enough. "We could manage to make it work, maybe." Azaylia's Journeyman gets a wave from Hypatia above the plants -- considering the height of the plants and the height of Hypatia, it's possible he only sees Hypatia's hand -- that is then repeated to be meant for Azaylia's departure, too. "See you later!" she calls. "Riding lesson tomorrow." Whether or not they'd discussed it before, Hypatia declares it to be so now. And, eventually, a botanist will even come by to help Toren after Hypatia escapes her watering duties for the day.