Difference between revisions of "Logs:Of Unexpected Company"

You push the hides aside and step into the kitchen. Kitchen, High Reaches Weyr The kitchens of High Reaches Weyr are contemporary, spare and simple in design, free of clutter. The sleek surfaces are a hallmark of the current Pernese style - polished marble and granite, metalwork, and woods. The background colors of the kitchen are light and neutral, allowing for bold tone accessories to take center stage. The lighting and entryway opening treatments are low-profile and minimalist. The hearths have been fitted with modern equipment and simple, sleek metalwork to add an up-to-date touch to the heavily used areas.

The polished granite counters are long and wide, allowing for ample work space. The woodwork is lightly stained, bringing out the natural hues in the grain. A simple cording, in the same bold color as the accessories, borders each cabinet door, accenting the room. Two large islands break up the kitchen into work areas: baking center, butchery, vegetable and side center, and the serving organization center. The floor is tiled with large marble squares, each section carrying a different, yet complimentary color to direct the flow of traffic. The entryway into the living cavern has been expanded to fit two doors - in and out - each marked with its own identifying color that matches the tiles just inside the doors, to keep collisions from occurring. The cavern itself has been expanded to include breakfast nooks, where residents can sit to eat, while leaving the main kitchen free from tables and the traffic that accompanies a busy Weyr. Contents: Dassah Shanlee Anais Obvious exits: Lower Caverns Living Cavern

Your location's current time: 1:41 on day 26, month 1, Turn 12, of the Interval. It is a winter night.

Taking Dassah's words at near face value, Shan doesn't sit but hoists herself up onto the counter she'd been leaning on instead. "Making another friend certainly counts as progress. Now, keeping them...that's the proof of the test isn't it?" a thoughtful expression appears "Not to run at the first sign of trouble, or when it gets too difficult." The greenrider seems to be talking about two different things but manages to blithely keep it focused on the subject at hand. Ducking as Anais flicks the dough, the greenrider chuckles "You don't want to be doing that." an impish smile forming.

Always up for a little fun, the blonde waits a few beats and then turns and flicks some more flour, this time at the greenrider--not Dass. With a giggle, Anais ducks down, returning to her work with--is that a smirk on her face?

"She's like you." Dassah replies with a shrug, leaning against the table that holds the fresh bubblies Anais was offering. "Insistant about not leaving me be, no matter what my thoughts on the matter are. Not that I am complaining, yet, so I guess we'll see in time." She raises a brow at the girl's antics. "Anais." She says, with a warning tone. "I can overlook some play, but don't push your luck. And you, wingsecond, don't encourage her!"

Despite the fact that the living caverns are busy with a lunch time rush - or perhaps because of it - R'hin slips in from the lower caverns, sans jacket despite the cool winter air. The Weyrleader makes a beeline for his favorite kitchen worker, the girl - Missa - rolling her eyes in resigned expectation as the man begins blatant cajoling for a 'special late breakfast' of pancakes. He doesn't look like he's getting particularly far when the flinging of dough becomes kind of distracting, and R'hin glances that way, with a twitch of brows when he spots the three women. "Ah, lovely ladies of the 'Reaches," he greets effusively, muttering something about 'being back later' to Missa.

The flour lands square on Shan's forehead in a puff of white dust "Oh no you didn't!" Dassah's initial words are offered a shrug "You don't get a say in the matter." simple. Being on the counter gives the redhead a height advantage, which she uses to full capacity a handful of flour scooped up. Handheld outward, lips purse as if to blow a kiss....a very floury kiss that heads in Dassah and Anais' direction. Of course Shan was going to ignore Dassah's warning which unfortunately she should have heeded as R'hin's greeting distracts. Turning while still blowing at the flour in her hand, some is sent his way too. Green eyes widen in horror and time stands still for the redhead.

Anais sobers immediately at Dassah's warning, hanging her head and mumbling a chastised "Sorry Dassah." She hears a new set of footsteps, and looks up just in time to get a face full of flour. She's coughing and sputtering, wiping it off of her face and eyes. She's so distracted by this that she doesn't see or hear who, exactly, is there.

Dassah closes her eyes, letting the assault of flour wash over her with a light, put-upon sigh. "Shanlee, dear friend, would you /please/ listen to me now and then?" She says, quietly. Then she notices the approaching weyrleader and offers him a thin-lipped smile. "Weyrleader. For the record, I told her not to do that." She shoots a warning look over her shoulder. "Anais, I know, will behave. There's some girls that know how to behave and how to act, and thank Faranth for that."

R'hin, angling around one of the other kitchen workers, doesn't spot Shanlee's airborne gift until too late - walking right into the midst of the flying flour. Coughing a moment, he glances in dismay at his shirt, covered in a pretty, white smattering of dust. "Shan," he begins in a tone that seems dark warning, probably further stretching out that horrified moment of the greenrider's, before his gaze lifts and pale eyes are filled with a glimmer of amusement, "Why such an elaborate scheme? If you -wanted- an excuse to see me shirtless, you only had to ask." Grin appears at Dassah's words, and he assures her, "I've no doubt you did. And I've no doubt she ignored you completely-- who's-- ah, Anais of Nabol," he greets the coughing girl with a sympathetic twist of lips.

Frozen for that brief moment in time, it's Dassah's long suffering words and tone that draw Shan back. Eyes still firmly on the Weyrleader, a slow grin appears when it's clear he's not about to tear a strip off her. What was done was done. "-Behaving-...." twisting now to catch Dassah's eyes a wink going the of Anais "....really leaves little to enjoy in life." swinging back to face R'hin "Wouldn't you say so Sir?" Complete innocence affected, though laughter is only just being kept at bay. "Just ask? Oh, should have said so before." to seeing the Weyrleader shirtless "Bit cold though." feigned sadness appearing as hands are dusted of the powdery remnants.

Anais manages to get the flour out of her eyes so that she can see enough to grab a towel and wipe the rest off of her face. Once she's slightly more presentable, she bows politely to the Weyrleader, her customary welcoming smile spreading across her face. "Good afternoon, R'hin" She says with a bit of a lilt to her voice. To Shan, "Not true, I have lots of fun!" She argues with a little pleasant bounce. She'd missed the first comment, so the rest of Shan's statement confuses her a little, but she shrugs it off.

Dassah looks at Anais sharply. "Weyrleader." She corrects the girl, her voice turning stern. "Manners." She looks back to the weyrleader, ignoring his commentary on shirtlessness. "Is there anything I can do for you this afternoon, Weyrleader? Myself and the kitchens are, as always, at your disposal. Once you are done with the Wingsecond, of course." A teasing glance at Shanlee. "She has such a floury personality."

R'hin makes some attempt to brush some of the flour off his shirt, but it only serves to smear the stuff across the blue material. Giving up, he lets out a resigned sort of sigh. Shanlee's request for support earns a wry look from the man as he shoves hands into his pockets. "That's cheating, wingsecond, since you know very well I agree with you," the chiding has a light tone, however, and is accompanied by a twitch of lips. "Cold, yes-- probably so." He looks almost regretful, eyes drifting ceiling-wards for a moment. "Your father is well?" he directs to Anais, before Dassah's query earns his attention. First though, he look startled at her latter comment, hand reaching up to touch his chest. "Oh-- oh! Dassah. Please, no pun wars," though he's laughing as he says it, before adding, "Well, I was hoping maybe Missa or one of the other girls could whip up some of that pancake from breakfast-- I'd heard it was lovely, and I missed out, sadly."

An amused, still floury brow raises in Anais' direction on her words of having fun "Ever broken the rules to have fun?" a wicked grin appears "Eaten stolen fruit, snuck that extra cookie your Ma said not to...danced with the boy no one approves of just 'cos they said not to?" green eyes dance with a fun not seen on the greenrider lately. About to make comment on Dassah's reprimand of the Nabolese girl and formal offers to R'hin, the wingsecond shuts her mouth, then affects an angelic smile for words on cheating "I would never dream of cheating Sir. That would be unfair." the sly edge to her voice suggesting that's just exactly what she might do given the right circumstances. As the Weyrleader attempts to clean his shirt, there seems to be no hint of recalcitrance from the greenrider, though she does make a valiant attempt "Pancakes? Reckon we could whip some up for you. Can't be that hard." already looking around for the ingredients "We got the flour." grin.

Properly chastised, Anais nods to the Weyrleader's question "Yes sir." Is spoken meekly before she turns back to the counter and begins compiling the ingrediants for the requested pancakes. She completely ignores Shan, or may be she just didn't hear her. Who knows?

Dassah gives a nod of approval at Anais - friend or not, manners are important. She looks at Shanlee with a smirk, "Not everyone has teh depraved upbringing you do, friend Shanlee. I'll beg you to please not corrupt the good ones with your wily ways." She looks to R'hin with a nod. "We'd be happy to help how we can. Look, Shanlee feels so bad about her dustoff, that she's going to help make them herelf. And if they don't do a good job..." A too-sweet smile at R'hin, "I'll make some for you myself."

"-Had- flour," R'hin amends, "Unless there's more than what's on Dassah, Anais and myself?" a hand gestures to the group in turn, low-throated chuckle accompanying the words. "And, I might even not say a word about -cheating-, for a nice batch of pancakes." Blatant bribery at its finest, and the Weyrleader doesn't bother to conceal it. Dassah's comment earns a surprised, "Depraved? Oh, no! Nothing better than dancing with the person your parents -hate-. It appeals on so many levels. I--" Dassah's offer to cook earns wary clearing of throat, "Well, let's see how the ladies do first, shall we?" He tips his head towards Anais, adding, "I'm glad to hear it. Please let him know if he wants an escort when the tithe train heads back to Nabol, he has only to ask. Even if he doesn't, I might well suggest it, regardless, given how much the 'Falls seem to be concentrated in the 'Reaches." A dark grimace crosses his expression for a moment or two.

Faint lines mar Shan's forehead at the change come over Anais for the reprimand "I was only teasing." is offered quietly should she have offended the girl somehow herself, a warning look shot to Dassah "She didn't mean any harm." The greenrider finds herself defending the girl for the second time that day and doesn't even bother rising to her own defense for she found no reason to. "Perhaps if you all jumped up and down a bit?" is rather unhelpfully suggested as to where flour could be found. Hopping off the counter to step up beside Anais and assist where directed, the redhead's eyes lift to R'hin amusement returning briefly at his words of agreement with her "Such an easy man to follow as a Leader." a dramatic harper-type sigh ensues which is ruined by an easy chuckle. As he sets to speaking with the Nabolese girl on her father the wingsecond falls silent for a moment "Good idea." is murmured in agreement with sending an escort with tithe train out of the Weyr.

Not wanting to embarrass the 'Leader in front of people, Anais smiles broadly and nods up at R'hin. "Thank you sir, you're very kind." She'll then turn back to her work, hoping he'll forget the whole thing--as the train left the day after the Ball. To Shan, she points to an unspoilt bowl of flour and hands her some salt and a few wherry eggs. "Mix those together well, I'll fire up the skillet." she says with a cheery tone and a bright smile. She mouths the words 'Thank you.' to Shan as she gets down the frying pan.

Dassah rolls her eyes. "You are as bad as they are." She chides the weyrleader, turning away from him to watch Shanlee and Anais in action. "I gave her and her father a room until he gets better, so I think they will be with us a while. The healers, from what I have heard, are optomistic but not going to rush anything. So I put her to work. She knows the value of contributing." She looks to Shanlee. "You know me, Shanlee. Manners and duty matter. You might be comfortable greeting the weyrleader by name, but, that doesn't make it right, or proper. After politeness has passed, well, then, that's between her and him."

R'hin casts a wry sort of look at Shanlee at her comment and dramatic sigh, lips twitching as he moves over to deliberately take the greenrider's place, hopping up onto the bench. Pale eyes flicker between the women as they cook, the Weyrleader looking particularly pleased. Dassah's words earn an unrepentant shrug and the confession, "Probably worse," accompanied by a grin. The assistant headwoman's recounting of Anais' father earns an approving nod. "I'm glad to hear." He remains pointedly silent on the matter of greeting, just as he did when Dassah offered the correction.

Shanlee sends a warm smile to Anais for her thanks "No need, you helped out yesterday after Fall with wine and water. It's the least I can do." deliberately turning it around to be about helping with the pancake making. Eggs cracked into the bowl are more expertly whipped to a froth with a whisk then most may have expected, a pinch of salt added and slowly the unspoilt flour alternating with milk as the blonde girl sees about the skillet. "Holdbred." is muttered and about all explanation that's forthcoming from the greenrider as to just how she knew what to do. "Or as good." the smirk that forms sent first Dassah's way then R'hin's to being of a like mind, a brow raises, green eyes sending query the Weyrleader's way "Don't think I've addressed you by name have I Sir?" mild amusement at the Assistant Headwoman's words to her slipping in. Hands still and the bowl of batter set before Anais "There you go."

As Shan expertly prepares the batter, Anais fires up the stove and drops just a hint of oil into the bottom of the skillet. She tilts the skillet around so that the oil leaves a thin coating of slickness over the bottom of the pan. When the greenrider hands her the finished batter, Anais eyes it in amazement. "Shan! You never told me you could cook! How wonderful!" She gushes at her friend's hidden talent. She takes the bowl and begins to pour the batter into the frying pan. "Do you like them thick or thin, sir?" She asks over her shoulder. Anais never forgets a manners lesson.

Dassah watches with amused contemplation, lapsing quiet as the discussion winds down. She leans against the table, reaching out to casuallypick up one of the pies. Sweet or not, she bites into it and slowly sets about eating the delicate treat while watching the weyrleader catered for.

"I can't recall offhand," R'hin says, airily, smile curling his lips upwards in response to Shanlee's query, "But I've often addressed you by name," he says, head tipping briefly as if making a point, though he doesn't exactly make it clear what that point is. "Ah-- hm. Surprise me, Anais of Nabol," he gestures towards her. His gaze flickers to Dassah, and he asks her, "How are you and the other assistants doing now that Sirana's stepped down?"

"I don't." Shan almost growls quietly in response to Anais' praise of her cooking skills "Just mixed some stuff up is all." trying to gloss over the fact. Now that R'hin's taken up residence of her perch on the bench, the wingsecond takes to rather leaning her back against it instead, arms crossing in a slightly defensive manner boots crossed over at the ankles. The weyrleader's reply to her idle query has her twisting her head round and up to consider him with interest for a moment. A slim hand lifts to touch at her rank knot then indicate his "Bit of a rank difference." likely reason being pointed out when it came to using title or name though a faint smile does accompany the words. Dassah having lapsed into silence and now being coaxed out of it again, brings the dark red head back to the Assistant Headwoman again.

Anais chuckles to herself, wondering at his continued use of her long name but not venturing to ask. "Well then, I'll do my best." She pours only a small amount of batter into the pan, allowing it to spread out so that it is quite thin, and then flips it so that both sides are crispily golden brown with just a hint of grease gloss to it. She flips it out onto s erving plate and goes to work on another and another. When there are four of these stacked on a plate, she reaches out and hand it to Shan. "Would you walk this down to him? I've got to finish this batch before the batter sets." She asks pleasantly of Shan, and then to Dassah. "How are they? I think I might have put a little too much sweetner in them this time....." She inquires with a social sort of air, as if she were asking about the weather and not the food.

"Taste like bubblies. I'm not an expert." Dassah says with a shrug. She wrinkles her nose at R'hian's question though and gives a shake of her head. "Getting by, but it will be nice when she is replaced. While we're all doing our best to keep things going smoothly, losing her and Eleria both left us pretty shorthanded. But, we ghet by. Pull longer days, but it's still less than when I was dealing with Jorea." She looks over to Shanlee, raising a brow at her.

It's brief, but R'hin's grin definitely deepens at Shanlee's growl, satisfaction practically radiating from the Weyrleader. It's gone by the time the wingsecond's glancing at him, and he meets her gaze with easy look, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips at her speculation. "True. Do you think I've ever let that affect me?" he immediately counters, fingers brushing briefly at his shoulder. "Mm. Satiet, I think, won't rush to make a choice," is all he says of the Headwoman's replacement. Anais' announcement has him watching the girl intently - and the plate moreso.

The grin and satisfaction coming from R'hin entirely missed as she pushes away from the bench at the request from Anais, Shan meanders over, takes the serving plate then makes her way back to R'hin. Dipping a playful curtsey to the bronzerider, the plate is held out "Pancakes. As requested Sir." if the use of title now holds a teasing edge to it there's no apology forthcoming. The state of his shirt however, does afford a faint wrinkle of nose "At least it doesn't stain." And once again, the casual lean against the bench is taken up. The raised brow coming from Dassah earns a return expression of a silent 'what?' from the wingsecond who quickly goes back to intense boot tip study. Again the Weyrleader addresses her "No, just not one to take certain liberties. Especially not when in public or in front of wingriders." pause "I also don't refer to the Weyrwoman as Satiet when conversing with her either. And likely won't unless instructed otherwise." a glance going Dassah's way. Yes, she was entirely serious about rank and structure.

Anais continues to work away, and soon there's a pile of pancakes and no more batter. That done, she moves to the washtub and immediately immerses the skillet. A small cloud of steam accompanied by a hiss appears over the water. Anais returns to the plate and holds it out. "Anyone else hungry? I'm afraid I'm in the habit of cooking for many." She says with a girly giggle.

"Not I, but thank you, Anais." Dassah turns towards R'hin, "Oh, no, I wouldn't expect she was, and I am in no way complaining. Don't get me wrong, but you did ask, and that is the honest answer. It could be a lot worse. Sirana trained us well. It's mostly the things she handled that I'm unsure how they are being completed. I'm still very junior, and honestly, useless at things like diplomacy and interacting with, well, people." She gives a little shrug. "Whoever it is, I am sure they will do well. And I am sure, for all your demurring in her favor, that the decision will have your smell to it as well."

Grinning appreciatively, R'hin dips his head to Shanlee, "Why thank you, Shan," like her, his use of her name is deliberate, grin deepening. "And thank you to the cook, as well," he adds, picking up the fork and cutting off a generous portion. He munches with eyes on the ceiling for a moment before it receives an approving nod, "Excellent! You two could be in trouble," the fork is waved at Shanlee and Anais, "Now I know who to pester for midnight meals." He looks fairly serious about it, his shirt receiving a cursory glance and a dismissive sort of shrug. "The lady of the spires--" he pauses, as if considering for a heartbeat, "--is in a category of her own." Which could be interpreted as compliment, or not, depending on the listener. He shakes his head at Anais' offer, gesturing towards his plate while he devours another mouthful, silently indicating that it's plenty. Dassah's comment earns a quirk of brow, and a bland demur, "I wouldn't dream of interfering in the Weyrwoman's domain."

Shanlee lifts a hand to wave off offers of pancakes from Anais. She'd made the mistake of making batter but certainly wasn't going to eat them too "Nope, all good here thanks." no matter that her nose was twitching at the delicious smells. Stubbornness out won appetite it seemed. "I'm sure the Weyrleader wouldn't turn them down though." a rueful backward glance to R'hin to confirm this, his words on midnight snacks whether teasing or not earn a soft snort from her "Not without very good reason." muttered so low he likely misses it. A chuckle spills out at Dassah's words on diplomacy and her lack thereof "You tell them what they want to hear, whilst bringing them around to your point of view with flatteries and pretty words." the wingsecond offers helpfully to her. Words on Satiet, have the redhead literally biting at her inner cheek to forestall comment.

An almost disappointed look crosses Anais' face--almost. "Well, if you're all sure..." She trails off, but when no one volunteers, she plops down on a stool next to Dassah and sets the plate on the counter. She grabs a fork and digs in, her eating manners delicate--even if her appetite isn't. "I'll remember to leave something out for you at night sir, I'm afraid I'm not a very nice person if I'm woken up too early." She teases, though makes a mental note to leave out something--just in case.

"Psh." Dassah says dismissively. "I believe that. Really." She looks over to Shanlee, and then dissolves into laughter. When she catches her breath she shakes her head. "Ahh, Shanlee. When have you ever heard me do anything other than state what I want, and then expect it to happen? I don't do oretty words, let alone flattery. Sirana learned early not to send me anywhere she wanted to stay on good terms with." She looks over at Anais and offers a slight smile. "Thank you, Anais, for your hard work for our Weyrleader."

R'hin cuts out another forkful of the pancakes, and waves them tempting close towards Shanlee. Completely by accident, of course, waving the fork around as he says, "Hah! The wingsecond thinks she knows me so well!" he chortles, perhaps noting Shanlee's silence on the topic of the goldrider, but interestingly he doesn't query, eyes instead flickering towards Anais. "Ah, now that will just -encourage- me to have midnight snacks. You oughtn't do that," he says, though the grin might suggest otherwise. "And, definitely, thank you, Anais of Nabol. I won't forget." His tone has a kind of ominous ring to it, eyes darting away for a moment before brow furrows and he hastily begins gulping down the food. "Meeting. Need to change beforehand lest the Holders think I've taken up malting or something." His expression is vaguely regretful, but he does bolt down the food in impressively short order.

That waving fork, purposeful or not is watched with the same intensity as a feline would a tunnelsnake. It takes concerted effort to draw her eyes from it, which eventually Shan does with a flicker of green going to the Weyrleader's face and realizing he'd just called her out. Faint the smirk that appears and then disappears for that. "I would never presume to know you well Sir." as she pushes off from the bench, planting an amused look on Dassah "I state what I want at times, but at others clever word usage will get you most of what you want too. Depends who you're dealing with." slight shoulders shrug traces of a smirk appearing and then hidden quickly. "I'd better be going too. Hidework." a faint grimace appears at the thought then alters to a smile for Anais "It's never a good idea to spoil a man too much." wink.

Anais' mouth is rather full at the moment, and so all she can do is nod and smile as best and politely as she can. The petite blonde does raise a hand in farwell to the two riders, green eyes sparkling with mirth.

Dassah stands up straight as the riders make their excuses. "Clear skies to both of you, then." She says politely as they make to leave. "Shanlee, I'll catch up with you later, if you've some time?" A slight incline of her head at the request.

"Just spoil them enough," is R'hin's murmured, amused agreement with Shanlee's advice. "That really hit the spot," he adds as he cleans off the plate. A sympathetic sort of grimace greets Shanlee's comment about hidework. "Have a good day, everyone," he says cheerfully, setting the plate aside to be washed before striding out, brushing ineffectively at his flour-spotted shirt as he does.

You brush the hides aside and step into the lower caverns, high reaches weyr.