Difference between revisions of "Logs:Nervous Questions"

Craft Complex, High Reaches Weyr

A passageway hewn into the rock and heavily patched with cement leads a short distance in to the bowl wall, with a door on either side. Lit by regularly spaced glows, the white-washed walls have been covered over by colorful tapestries, wall hangings and pieces of art made from metal and wood. To the left of the entranceway, just a single step inside, a spiral staircase opens out of the wall, leading upwards through the stone. Further down, a doorway opens to either side of the corridor, while at the far end, there is a hewn-stone staircase leading up to the residential quarters, wreathed by two final doors to private quarters and the bathing room.

The door leading to the east opens into an expansive room that seems to provide both general working space - with long, bare benches and chairs - and a cozy lounge complete with over-stuffed sofas and a few fuzzy armchairs. Three tall windows are carved into the stone, and offer air and light when the heavy wooden shutters are left open, though the lounge area has to make do mostly with glows. A hearth at the back of the room provides both heat and basic cooking facilities. The white-washed walls are bedecked with decoration - from quilts, to tapestries, to wooden carvings and metal sculptures.

The western door leads into another passage, off of which the main workrooms have been built. The loading dock is at the northern end, leading back out into the bowl, with the rest of the rooms leading deeper and deeper into the wall.

The chilly evening finds Madilla curled up in one of the armchairs near the couch. She has a mug of tea perched on the table next to her, largely ignored while she sews in careful, tiny stitches. Her latest quilting project is a small one, clearly intended to be an artwork rather than a bedcovering, since it barely covers her lap even spread out.

Lirienne comes in, a basket over one arm and her shawl pulled up over her head to protect from the chilly winds so likely to visit after the sun goes down. There is a thoughtful frown - a hint of rosy color to her expression, and wind-chilled nip to her nose. Once within the stone walls of the Complex, her steps loose much of their urgency, and her feet take her were her thoughts wander - a most likely place for a certain Journeywoman to be. However, it is not until Liri spots Madilla that she realizes this - and lets an 'Oh!' escape without thought. A pause, as if to duck down through one of the doors, then a firming of step as she moves into the lounge proper. "Ah.. busy?" she asks, once she manages a couple of steps in.

The lounge isn't busy, despite the time of day, and so Lirienne's footsteps alone catch Madilla's attention. Still, it's not until the apprentice addresses her that the Journeyman tidily secures her needle in the fabric on her lap and gives her her full attention. Reaching for her mug, she indicates the chairs around her and says, cheerfully enough, "Not so busy I can't spare a few moments to talk. Come and join me."

Lirienne hesitates a moment, then moves forward towards the chairs. A glance at the mug has her smiling a bit. "I.. ah, have half a jug of hot tea, if you need refreshing," she offers, eyes a touch bright as she sits in the chair, basket tipping slightly before she puts it to rights. "Well, if I don't spill it beforehand."

Green eyes keep steady watch on Lirienne as she crosses the room, and then sits; Madilla's expression is thoughtful, but not concerned. The offer, and the comment that follow, earn her smile: "I'd love some, thank you. I do enjoy my evening tea. You're well, Lirienne? Everything is fine?" Her mug gets set back on the table between them, slid towards the other woman - it's pretty much empty, and probably cold.

Lirienne busies herself with refreshing Madilla's mug, then pouring some into an obviously recently used mug - an empty one left alone in the basket. "Ah... I think so. I've been hm.. thinking though. Over things, and other things that have been said." After adding more tea to her mug, there is a faint odor under the tea's sweetner and citrus - at least hers; a hint of spirits, though hardly at all - which might explain why she then leads with, "I was talking to K'del - and then with E'gin, but I'm not sure hrm.. I'm not saying this right." A bit of a frown is given for that fact, until she takes a drink of her tea.

Madilla lifts her mug back towards her mouth, but doesn't sip: it hovers, instead, so that she can keep watching Lirienne, and now with an increasingly perplexed and concerned expression. Not much misses this particular healer, but nor is it her habit to remark on things. Thus, she's cautious when she says, after Lirienne has taken her sip, "Just say it. Whatever it is. You have my attention."

A deep breath is taken, held, then let out slowly. "I was thinking of asking Weyrleader K'del to Stand." Simple, carefully enuciated, to the point, and utterly lacking any of the thought processes Liri went through to come to that almost-decision.

Whatever Madilla was expecting, it is not... this. Which isn't to say that she looks horrified - just surprised. Her mug gets lowered again, but not set back down; she simply sits there, watching Lirienne for several more seconds before: "Is it because they haven't promoted you? I--" Then, hastily, "You know that I will support you in whatever you want to do, of course. If you think it will make you happy, then of /course/ it's what you need to do."

Lirienne gives a sigh, and shakes her head, then pauses. "Not... totally. But.. maybe some. It will.. if I don't hide.." Unsaid is the word 'again', ".. make me change. And.. I was speaking to the Weyrleader. He... the crafts..." She pauses a moment and orders her thoughts. The warmth of the hot toddy she'd had up on the Diving Cliff not an hour before does *not* help with this. ".. is it really likely that the crafts may pull the apprentices from here?" she asks, before tacking on, "I also spoke with E'gin."

Madilla holds her silence until Lirienne finishes, her expression a mix of deep, heartfelt understanding - and genuine uncertainty. Before speaking, she takes a careful sip of her own tea, swallowing it and setting the mug down. Instead of reaching for her needle again, however, she drops both hands to her lap, and watches the apprentice. Finally, "Some will. Some have already made moves in that direction. I don't believe our own Hall intends the same, but as others do-- it's possible." It bothers her, clearly. "If it's what you want, Lirienne, we can make it work."

"It.. isn't just because of that. Or .. what was said. But.. it will make me change," Liri is sure of that part, if she can avoid hiding in the back of the crowd. "I... was thinking of asking to help the dragonhealers for a sevenday, or two. But E'gin thought.. that, well, time is important. And that I should keep in mind the responsibility and different, uhm, sides to it." Which is still making her nervous. "And... well, I can still do chores?" she offers, with a hint of a weak smile.

"I understand," says Madilla, firmly, whether or not she really does. She aims, now, to look encouraging. "I think spending some time with the dragonhealers is an excellent idea. And it seems like E'gin is giving you some good advice, too." She reaches out a hand, now, apparently aiming to take one of Lirienne's, if the younger healer will allow her. "We'll work it all out, one way or another. None of it will be a problem. Chores or no chores."

Lirienne allows the hand to be taken - the warmth of her mug stealing the cold from outside from the flesh. As she is assured all is well, a certain amount of tension oozes out of her spine and forces her to relax some, "I... good." She pauses, then admits, "I.. didn't want to disappoint anyone."

Madilla squeezes, and then a second time on receipt of that admission. "I certainly don't see it like that," she says, firmly. "I think it's important to be honest about what we want. About what is going to work." She smiles, squeezing once more before she draws her hand back towards her lap. "Most of all, I want you to be happy."

Lirienne lowers her head a moment, eyes bright. "I... then I think it is.. uhm.. important. To spend time with the dragonhealers first. Because.. responsibility is big." Pun totally not intended, in her mind at least.

"Then," says Madilla, firmly, "Let's go and talk to the Dragonhealers in the morning, and arrange some time. Regardless of anything, I think it's worthwhile for healers and dragonhealers to understand each other. And once you're done with that... then you can talk to the Weyrleader, or whoever else you need to."

Lirienne takes in a deep breath, then lets it out with a whoosh, nodding once. "Right." Steps. Managable steps.