Logs:Toasting A Newborn
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| RL Date: 5 September, 2013 |
| Who: Aishani, Madilla |
| Type: Log |
| What: Madilla, newly returned from the Hall, shares information with Aishani. |
| Where: Snowasis, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 19, Month 9, Turn 32 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: Barran/Mentions, Ienavi/Mentions, Ustelan/Mentions, Vienne/Mentions |
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| Snowasis, High Reaches Weyr
Some of the smaller stalactites still roam the ceiling, their jagged teeth tracing a bumpy, inverted spine to the hearth. There, a thick rug with a low klah table and comfortable armchairs and couches sit, their upholstery and cushions changed sporadically to match the season: bright, light colors in the summer, fresh greens and yellows in the spring, warm autumnals in fall, and clear, rich hues for winter. Small tables litter the rest of the cavern, enough to fit up to four people each, while stools stand along the smooth wooden bar behind which is the passthrough window to the kitchen. Glass-paneled cabinetry behind the bar provides a clear view of the available liquors, the many colors reflecting the soft light of glows tucked into strategic niches around the cavern.
Madilla returned to the Weyr from her Healer Hall sojourn only an hour or so ago, and is even still dressed for travel with her riding jacket on over her slightly more formal, tailored dress. She's also on her way in to the Snowasis, though she comes via the lower caverns, trailing after a group of giggling laundry workers who flock towards one of the pre-existing groups. Madilla, too, has a destination in mind: she draws up alongside Aishani at the bar, forearms resting atop the wood as she requests her drink - a glass of red wine - from the bartender. Then, "Aishani." The laundry workers get a brief glance, but the healer in flight gear is far most interesting for Aishani, at least; once she's claimed her seat and ordered another drink, she doesn't even pretend that she's not watching Madilla as the older woman makes her way up to the bar with purpose. But she'll wait for the order, if with slightly arched brows, and doesn't ask. "Madilla," she replies. "You've been away." More an observation than a question. "I've been at Healer Hall," confirms the healer, calmly. "And I probably shouldn't be having another drink, since I had two at the bar there with an old friend of mine. But here I am anyway." Even Madilla is willing to indulge on occasion; her tone easily acknowledges that this is an indulgence. "Besides, there's a birth to toast, and I don't think it's right to do that with water or tea." All of that might arch fine brows higher, but Aishani, once hearing where Madilla's been and what's going on, nods slowly. "Is there. Well. I suppose that shouldn't be a shock." Once the tender has returned with drinks, she does ask for some olives and snacks though. Just in case the weyrhealer's not used to drinking that much this early in the day. With a glance Madilla's way, "How was the trip? And your friend?" Her tone seems to hope for productive, though news of the birth can't be complained about. "Mother and son both healthy," continues Madilla, quietly conversational and not as though she's imparting seriously important news. She wraps her fingers around the stem of her glass, and smiles, faintly amused but not unappreciatively, for Aishani's additional order. Then, "It was productive. It's... sad, sometimes, seeing what people turn into when they get older. After their own comfort; losing sight of what they used to consider important. He's expecting Mastery. Hoping that he'll gain a patron at Nabol, whatever happens next. As far as he's concerned, there's nothing to worry about, there. The Harper will show up again, Ustelan died naturally, and Ienavi's something of a silly girl, who can't possibly have gotten pregnant from her husband." Madilla's tone is disbelieving. There's a faint smile for 'healthy', so perhaps Aishani does have some relationship with Ienavi beyond just conveying her to the hall and... whatever else was going on. The goldrider can't have possibly just found her in the middle of nowhere, no matter what people say they might have heard. "That's good. As is productive." Though the next has her listening quietly as she takes up her drink, pursing her lips. "Well, there's that. There won't be more than rumors about Ustelan's poisoning. And... I have to say, I wondered myself, but Ienavi had been with him for some time, and showed no signs of regretting her decision. She also says it's his." She sounds as if she's likely to believe the Lady over any of the others. "It's not as if he would me incapable. I wonder if the child resembles the Nabol side strongly enough." She doesn't sound hopeful, though -- even if he did... Something in the glance Madilla gives Aishani suggests she's not only aware that there must be more to the relationship between Lady and goldrider... but also perfectly okay with it. "I suppose it would be to her advantage to say that it was his," muses the healer, after taking a careful sip from her glass. "But on the other hand, an old man with a young wife? He'd keep a careful eye on her, I'm sure. It would be in her advantage, if she wanted to stay Lady, to be true to him." Neither of which leads Madilla to any particular conclusion except that, "I'm sure all eyes will be on him, the poor thing. Those who wish to believe, and those who wish to find definite proof of something else. Someone else." As the bowls of snacks come, Aishani has a flash of a smile for Madilla, quickly hidden in a sip from her glass. Setting it down in favor of the olives, she notes, "It would be, regardless, but as you say... I don't think it would be all that easy to get away with, not with so many people in that Hold besides. I visited them... once a month, every couple months. He was doing poorly for some time, but not enough that... well. You're well aware of the mechanics of the thing." She'd really rather not go into it because, first - gross, and second, she's not about talking about that at the best of times. With a purse of lips, "At least he won't be aware of it for some time. I hope some proof can be found. Given the militias, I'd rather the devil I know. Not that Ienavi's an issue. It's always better to have a known quantity, though -- and I don't like the way some of the prospects have been going at this, either." Madilla helps herself to some salted nuts, listening thoughtfully to what the goldrider has to say. Her mouth quirks, twisting into an amused smile for that more awkward and gross of topics, adding only a nod to support those words: well aware, yes. "I don't, either." She's firm on that front. "There's attempting to make a claim, and then there's... it doesn't bode well for how some of them would lead, if it came to that. Is it a good idea to give a Hold to a newborn baby? I assume Ienavi would stand as Lady Warder. I don't know. But at least she's not trying to build an army and take it by force. And if she has the proof that she says she has..." After a few olives, Aishani has to agree, "That's my thinking. That it doesn't bode well, nor does it bode well for how they might react. Vienne seemed to think that sending a wing down there might make things worse rather than better, and if one of them is the nervous sort to begin with... anything we do in the future could do that. Anything could be a spark." As for giving the Hold to an infant, the goldrider shrugs, a bit diffidently, truth be told. "I'm not entirely sure what's valued in these situations beyond Blood. If his elder children can argue for it, certainly his younger has a claim, especially if that's what he wanted. Perhaps Ustelan was so done with the children that he'd already had, his only hope was for the future. Given the way they're acting..." Would Madilla be surprised? Staring into the depths of her glass, Madilla hesitates before picking up any of the conversational threads, as if she has to work her way through a few thoughts first. "Vienne's probably right, I think," she agrees. "We've had enough problems with hair-trigger Holds, surely. We don't want another situation like that." She nudges her glass away and reaches for an olive, instead, as she adds, "Perhaps he thought that by giving it to an infant, at least he was assured of-- eighteen, twenty turns? I'm not sure how long-- rule by someone who wasn't one of his spoiled children." She's guessing, on the spoiled front, but it doesn't seem too unlikely. Long fingers spinning her glass idly before she takes it up again, Aishani nods, taking a slow sip. "It's difficult to say what might set it off, but I imagine anything could at this point." The twist of her mouth is wry, as she admits, "As much as I'm not really involved in what we do, I'd hate for anyone to say we did nothing if something awful happened. And that is true. Ienavi's not likely to hand over the Hold until the boy is at least that old, and it's possible Ustelan trusted her more than any of the possible heirs. Apparently, she was meant to marry one of his sons? Grandsons? They talk about women scorned, but..." Men have nothing on them, sometimes. "Was she?" Madilla's mouth curves all over again. "No doubt that didn't make her well-liked. Pretty young girl marrying their father or grandfather, whatever it was. But really... if you're going to be used as marriage-bait to begin with, and surely she was... you don't turn down a man like that." The healer is a little uncomfortable in saying this, clearly well aware that it's not something she would personally like to have to do. "It puts the Weyr in a difficult position, doesn't it? The longer things go on. Is there... do you suppose there is anything less public that can be done to help?" With her own grimace, "I wouldn't think she'd have much of a choice, no. I don't have the idea that Ienavi and her family aren't close, but surely they'd want her to accept." Aishani glances down the bar towards Madilla as she tilts her glass back and forth, the rum in it sloshing around. A touch ruefully, "I've lived in a Hold and read about them... it's just not the same as being from one, is it. I should ask... I should do more interrogating." The healer's question, though -- that causes the trace of a smile to appear, one that doesn't fade. Lowering her voice, leaning on the bar, "I think there's something that could be managed. I want to check with Suireh, see if the Harpers have come up with anything. But... I think it's probably better if whatever's done is quiet? Just so, if someone asks one of the Weyrleaders, well. They'll honestly be able to say they don't know." So many things done in the way of plausible deniability. "My Hold experiences were rather different to the ones the Lady would have had, or any of the other key players," remarks Madilla, which seems mostly intended to lead up to her conclusion: "It's very different, I should think, being Blooded, or from an old, wealthy Minor Hold." The healer glances at her glass again, then takes a careful sip, rolling it around on her tongue for several seconds before she'll venture to say anything else. "That's wise. Keep it quiet. If there's... I'm not especially the type for this kind of work. Subterfuge, secret business. But if there is anything I can do to help... I'm tired of watching my home be threatened by things beyond our control." With a sigh, "I suppose that's true. I want to think there's... some simple explanation, or something that will uncomplicate matters for me. Something that will make it easy to understand. The Weyr, the Halls -- even if the realities are different, I know how they're supposed to be. Holds are so... varied and complex." Perhaps something Aishani feels she should be able to understand. Taking a couple of nuts with her free hand, she nods easily before popping them in her mouth. After she's done, "I don't know that it will require a great deal of subterfuge, only subtlety. But I will certainly let you know. Knowing that Ustelan died of natural causes and there's no way to prove otherwise... That's quite a lot in and of itself. I appreciate your help with that." That's sincere enough; she raises her glass Madilla's way in silent thanks. "Lord Holders have so much power, and it's largely unchecked," muses Madilla, with a nod. It clearly makes things much more complicated. Of the rest - well, she raises her own glass, acknowledging Aishani with a smile. "I'm glad I could be of assistance. If I hear anything else... I'll let you know." Abruptly, she sets her glass back down on the bar, and shakes her head. "I think that really is too much for me in one day. I should..." Go lay down, perhaps. Or clear her head in the cold of outdoors. "Thank you." "Except by one another. And the Weyrs, supposedly." Aishani finishes her drink, sliding the glass lightly across the bar, flashing Madilla a grin. "I appreciate that too. And please, don't stay on my account. Go..." Do whatever. "Maybe get some dinner soon, yes? I'll have to do that sooner than later." Even though she'll still pick out the green olives while she's there. "Have a good evening, Madilla. Be well." Don't get hungover! "And you," agrees Madilla, with a smile. She (mostly) manages not to teeter towards the door. Good healer. |
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