Difference between revisions of "Logs:Vijay Family Reunion"

No matter how cold it may be outside or the fact that snow falls steadily over High Reaches, it may as well be summer in the kitchens at the height of their use, heat radiating from multiple sources nevermind the sheer amount of people that move around the room doing one thing or another. It's enough to get lost in, and surely Jayzin has been forgotten in this mess. He has been sat at an out-of-the-way table with a pile of tubers, shaving off the skins quickly and precisely with the sharp blade of his knife as the peels grow around him.

That warmth attracts people, has workers pass through from the storerooms rather than by the inner caverns, and Aishani is no different. Though the tall, dark woman is as impeccably dressed and groomed as always, there's an air of somnolence about her, one that's awfully familiar to those who know her lazy queen's behaviour. That might be why she's accompanied, heralded by one Jyani, bouncing with the same energy as her curls, a sharp contrast to her cousin and boss. The teenager scans the kitchen as they enter because Shani's sure not catching everything today - and with a little gasp of delight that still hasn't gone yet, spots her brother and totally abandons duty. Beelining over with the weyrwoman bringing up the rear, Jyani snarks, "They put you where you belong, huh?" Her smart mouth has not improved at the Weyr.

Despite his age, Jayzin still tosses the next potato skin in Jyani's direction for her snark, drawling dryly in response as he says, "I requested to be here. I was like, 'where can I be farthest away from bratty little sisters'." But he almost certainly can't help himself from the smile that comes so naturally to his lips, a bright, easy thing that has long since seemed to bury crow's feet at the corner of his eyes. It is only as he catches sight of Aishani that the smile dims a bit, his knife lifting to his eyebrow in a gesture of a salute, almost. "Aishani."

Jyani bats away the peel with a wrinkle of her nose, countering, "I'm not bratty. Or little. I could stand this time. Or for Iesaryth's clutch, if I wanted to. Hers'll be better anyway." As she comes up behind the younger girl, it's Aishani's turn to wrinkle her nose, perhaps at how matter-of-factly Jyani discusses her... state. The faintest flush on her cheeks, she gives Jayzin something between an apologetic and exasperated glance. "Jayzin. I hope they're treating you well in here? I know most of the workers so if there's an issue..." She'll fix it.

"Are you sure? I think you're still twelve," Jayzin counters back with a slide of one brow upwards, shaking his head at his sister's answer. "They don't let twelve year olds stand for clutches." He answers Aishani's question first with the simple wave of his knife, gesturing to the area around himself. "Thanks, but I'm good. You are, uh, expecting..." Instead of finishing the awkward thought, he starts coughing. Nice save, Jayzin.

That really shouldn't annoy Jyani, but she's not quite teenager enough to be cool about it yet. "Ugh, you're so annoying. I can't believe they even let you come here." She collapses in a huff on a stool nearby, but not enough of one for her to be totally serious. With fine brows arched, Aishani tells the girl patiently, even so; "You don't get to be the special one forever. I told you that." An eyeroll to Jayzin, then she's trying to cover a sudden yawn. Embarrassed, she nods slowly, sighing, "It seems so. I always sleep quite a bit." Jyani, helpfully: "Last time, she slept almost eighteen hours."

Jayzin indicates the pile of tubers with the point of his knife for his sister, carelessly replying to her accusation with only the suggestion, "If you're going to sit there and pout, you could help, special." He probably assumes, too, that she has a knife available for herself, since he does not offer one. "Sounds inconvenient. I guess with dragons, everything is inconvenient."

Loftily, "I'm the assistant to the weyrwoman. I don't have to do manual labour." Jyani looks superior - that is, until Aishani gives her a look. Quietly, "Help your brother." Though the younger girl makes a face, she unsheathes a small belt knife and does as she's told. It's probably good for her, from the looks of things. For her part though, Shani leans agains the wall, folding her arms. "They took my knives," she explains. "Because I stabbed someone in the hand last time. That's inconvenient. Not everything is... but some things can be. It's an adjustment." A pause. "Things change at home too."

"Sounds like someone is up on a high runner," drawls Jayzin at his sister's answer, leveling his own look complete with a curved brow on Jyani. But as the weyrwoman steps in to solve the situation, he is freed to grab another tuber of his own and turn back to Aishani. To the comment of change, he merely replies, "Another thing that can be traced back to dragonriders. Sounds like you've adjusted, though. Giving up your knives for..." He still doesn't seem to want to approach the idea of mating flights with his cousin, so he just waves his knife again.

Jyani heard a little of that at Turnover too; more than a little from their mother, so she doesn't say much, just lapses into sullen, misunderstood silence. It's so hard being her. Everyone sucks. Peel peel peel. Aishani grimaces a little, shakes her head Jayzin's way as she looks down at the toes of her boots. "It's never easy to be looked at differently. And I hate being unarmed, but... I can't go around stabbing people for minor reasons." Her tone makes it sound like a major imposition. If she had her way, she'd stab whoever the hell she liked. "All the rock still makes it hard to really breathe sometimes."

Jayzin's lips twitch into his easy smile, as if he couldn't really help himself in the way that it comes so naturally. "I could find you something softer as a weapon. A club wrapped in fur, maybe," he offers to his cousin with bright humor. "This is not the best place of it. Too much heat and too many people, but yeah... It's odd, sleeping with all of this rock. I brought a tent with me if it gets too much."

"They get so mad," Aishani says, as if it's beyond her why anyone should take such violence all personally. Her own lips quirk into a smile, though faint. "I don't mind it here so much, really. Even the summer isn't so bad; it never really gets hot here. This is the best place for the gossip, besides. But... it can get to be a lot of people, a bit much. I had the time at the Hold to acclimatize more, but..." A little shrug. "Do you think you'll stay if it all... doesn't work out?"

"I don't know," sounds an awful lot like a no as Jayzin slowly slides his knife along the peel of his tuber, efficiency given up as it becomes more of something to occupy his hands. "I guess they'll expect me back, after. If..." He shrugs in turn as well, almost an unconcious mimic of his cousin's gesture.

With a purse of her lips, looking his sister's way, "They might. But there's things to do here too. For the family." Aishani glances over toward the rest of the kitchen, gauging how far sound might travel. "I've made some arguments. If you impress, definitely. But either way, maybe." She straightens off the wall, only to slide hands in her pockets. "I imagine it depends on what you'd like to do."

"I guess we'll see," Jayzin agrees, his own words dropping to a murmur as he glances after Aishani's in his own gauging look. "I think the Weyr'll notice at some point, though, if too many of us hang around here." He doesn't seem too concerned about that, despite bringing it up.

With a smirk, "If the Weyr doesn't notice, I'm sure K'del will. There's only so far that can go. If we impress, well. That's different. They couldn't get rid of the proper convicts..." Aishani gives another of her little shrugs. They certainly can't get rid of people who haven't technically done anything wrong. "Speaking of which - convicts, I mean - I ought to introduce you to Jo, Tacuseth's rider, sometime soon. We work together." There's a subtle emphasis on 'work'.

Jayzin nods agreeably, promising to his cousin, "I'll be around. Maybe after... though." Again, the little wave of his knife.

"Well, yes." Shani eyes the potatoes for a moment longer than she probably needs to before blinking back to herself. "Of course. I just meant... sometime." A pause. "I'll let you get to it. And Jyani can stay and help." Jyani, predictably, looks less than thrilled at this turn of events, but she doesn't argue, just keeps at it. Aishani stands awkwardly for a moment before; "Well. You know how to find me if you need me." And she turns on her heel and sets off. It's not till she's gone that the teenager mutters, "She's just gonna sleep. And thanks." She thinks she's in trouble.

"If she's just going to sleep, it's not like she needs you," Jayzin counters as only an insufferable older brother can. "Unless you think she can't sleep without you." But, then, he leans over to point out a piece of skin that she missed, and turns the conversation to those things that their mother insisted that he tell her when he saw her.