Logs:Save a Dance For Me
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| RL Date: 21 February, 2009 |
| Who: K'del, Milani |
| Type: Log |
| What: K'del drops in to help Milani with turnover preparations, and they talk about I'daur and about life - and make plans. |
| Where: Stores, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 27, Month 13, Turn 18 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: A'son/Mentions, I'daur/Mentions, P'ax/Mentions |
| Storerooms, High Reaches Weyr Massive in scale, the Weyr's main storage passage connects to the kitchen on one end and the outbound tunnel on the other. Large enough to admit a wagon laden with goods, the tunnel easily permits the unloading and organization of supplies into the various storerooms. Branching off from this corridor are multiple caverns, the nearer two being 'open' stores from which residents can readily help themselves, while the deeper stores are kept locked up tight with a posted sign and inventory hung on a hook outside of each. An alcove next to the public stores serves as a catch-all area for reshelving items whose destination is uncertain; two sets of stone shelving and several bins hold these items neatly until a stores assistant has a moment to deal with them. Though the storage caverns vary in size, shape, and the smoothness of their walls, all belong to the same system: whitewashed walls, swept floors, and most importantly, neatly labeled and inventoried shelves providing ample space to stow all the supplies a busy Weyr needs. Though there's no direct internal lighting, a glowbasket may be brought in from the niche outsde each cavern, the better to ward off pests and the inky dark of deep caves. It's the day before turnover and Milani is busy. There's things to get out, things to put away and that is why she's in stores today, going through a bin of decorations and reading things off a list aloud. "Cloths ... candles ... flowers, who should I send for the flowers?" K'del, just at that moment turning the corner with a surety that suggests he's probably collected detailed directions from /someone/, answers the question lazily. "Cue handsome bronzerider ready, willing and able to collect flowers - or perform other duties - if that's what's required." He comes to a halt, leaning up against a nearby shelf with an amused grin in place. Milani's just pulled out another length of red cloth when K'del speaks. Her head lifts and blue-green eyes register brief surprise, then shift to rather a warmer expression. "Very handsome. Enough that maybe I don't want to send him out," the headwoman teases laughingly and folds the cloth over the edge of the bin. "Flowers shouldn't get collected until tomorrow, but if you've time to go, it's the usual colors: red and gold." Millie gets to her feet and dusts her hands off, moving towards the bronzerider and aiming a kiss for his cheek. K'del accepts the kiss, his arms lifting to squeeze hers briefly before he plants his own on her forehead. "Red and gold," he repeats, this done. "Collected tomorrow. I'm sure I can clear my busy schedule for that - just for you. And see, now the entire purpose of my visit has been completed in one fell swoop. Only came down to see if you needed anything." Milani smiles up at K'del and her hand rests briefly on his upper arm. "Did you? Thanks Kas. Once I get sorted through this bin, I could use help from a pair of nice strong arms to carry things to the living cavern. We're going to start putting things up." She pauses and looks over towards the box she's been looking through. "Does it feel weird at all to still be having a party when ... you know." "At your service," promises K'del, lifting and flexing one arm as if to show off his muscles. His smile fades fairly quickly, however, as she asks her question, and he expels a long breath. "A little," he admits, arm dropping, both hands creeping towards his pockets. "Like we're pretending it doesn't matter. Or ignoring it, to go on with our own lives. But. It's turnover. Can't just shut everything down because he was too selfish to wait a few more days." Milani smlies again, briefly then nods. "I don't feel like we're pretending, but ... I don't know. Seems like people have barely had a chance to think about it and --" she breaks off, blinks at him. "Do you really think that, Kas?" "Nooo," says K'del, extending the vowel sound carefully. "Not as such. But. Guess I'm just not sure why he'd do it. Hope the people he was close to aren't hurting too much." "I guess I didn't really think about it that way at all," Milani confesses, looking thoughtful. "I was just ... surprised. And well, has he ever really been all that happy of a person?" Her shoulders roll in a light shrug. "At least he got to pick how he went, when he was ready instead of -- you know, just not knowing." She frows a little, teeth catching at her lower lip. "Mm. Me too. My mother's a little ... glum." She gives Kas' arm another little pat then moves back to the boxes. "Someone'll say something tomorrow." She's knelt back down and folding up squares of red all together then looks up at him again. "Are you sad, Kas?" "Or jut wasting away or something," agrees K'del. "But still." He's silent as she moves back to the boxes, watching her, but apparently relatively deeply in thought, because his expression turns surprised at her question. "Sad." It takes a few seconds for him to say even that much, and even then, the word lingers on his tongue, like he's tasting it. "Not sure about actively sad. Not like I knew him as a person, as more than just my Weyrlingmaster. He wasn't exactly approachable. But. Suppose I am, at least a little." "Right," Milani says with a sheepish sort of look on her face and fusses with making the corners of a decorative table runner match up. "And -- no, he wasn't. Ask him a question, get a one word answer or less." Her hands smooth the fabric down and she sighs softly. "He wasn't even that old." More smoothing then she holds up a hand towards the bronzerider. "How's your evening looking? We could go somewhere after I get all of this sorted out." K'del gives a reflective sort of nod, his expression thoughtful, but, finally, just shakes his head. "Mm, exactly. Know people cared about him. So he can't have been that way with everyone. But. In his fifties, wasn't he? No, not that old. My parents aren't much shy of that." As she holds her hand up, he reaches out his, evidently intending to squeeze it, and adds, "Evening's free. And that'd be good. Anything I can do to make it go faster?" "Mine are well into theirs," Milani says with a faint smile. "And my grandparents are all in their 70s or older. Though my father's mother ... she died in the Pass. I never knew her. My sister, Ily is named after her." Her fingers curl around his briefly and then she nods towards one of the boxes. "Separate out the colors? Whomever packed the boxes up after last year just mixed it all in." K'del squeezes, thumb rubbing lightly against her fingers, and nods. "My father's parents are both dead. Mother's live at Tillek, but we never see them much, but I guess they'd be in their sixties or seventies. My parents were pretty young when they had Brennan. And that all just makes him sound less and less old. Can't imagine, only having another - what, thirty-five, forty turns left?" He follows her gaze towards the box, and nods, squeezing her hand once more then releasing it, so that he can settle down in front of it, and peer in. Milani smiles as his thumb moves across her skin and she aims to draw his hand to her cheek for a moment. "I'm the baby in my family, my brothers are a lot older. Mum was pretty young but not too young when she had Paddy I guess. Younger than me though." She falls silent contemplating that and shakes her head. "I don't really want to imagine it. I just hope that I get to do everything that I want to do before then." Which K'del will let her do, resting his fingertips upon her skin. "Which is still pretty young," he supposes, out loud, "To be a mother, anyway. But then, guess my mother was under twenty. Only--" He hesitates, calculating. "Eighteen?" He takes the first couple of items from the box, spreading them out, tidily, into piles. "Me, too. Not sure, exactly, what it is I'm going to need to do. But lots of things." "Mm. Not as young as some at least," Milani says with a little wry chuckle. "There's two girls in the caverns, not eighteen yet and due in the spring. One of them is a nanny though, so I guess she knows what she's getting herself into," the headwoman muses thoughtfully. She reaches into the box for the last table runner and gets those all lined up by color. "Well, I've got the job I wanted, but I want to get better at it. Get to know people at the Weyr even better. There's some places I'd like to go. And well ... someday, maybe a kid. Or two. Maybe." K'del's nose wrinkles, and he admits, "Can't say it's something I'd want right now. Or even in the next couple of turns. Though if it happened, and she didn't want to... Well. You know? I'd deal." He digs into the box again, fingers brushing over fabrics lightly as he lifts them out, and adds, "Guess I want rank, someday. And yeah - visiting more places. Maybe learn how to build or make something. And kids. I /do/ want a family, one day. But I'd have to have a couple. Know it's different in weyrs, with nurseries and everything, but I can't imagine growing up without a bunch of siblings." Milani smiles over at the bronzerider. "We talked about it. I remember," she says gently and pats the pile of cloths. "All right, these all look pretty good. There's just one that might need to go get a hem bound up with the seamstresses. So there's these for the tables, and the napkins which I think you have, and the banners for the walls. Ribbons and vases for the flowers and oh ... right, the garlands. Where did they get off to?" She eyes the boxes suspiciously, like they're hiding their contents from her deliberately. "Building. You know, I can see you building things. I bet that could be fun. My brother whittles. Paddy, I mean. The weyrlingmaster one. The other one's a harper so he makes all kinds of things and well, Ily's a Smith, Mum sews. Everyone in my family makes things but me!" She laughs a little and rises to check out a different box. "I can't imagine not having brothers and sisters either." "Oh - yeah, we did. I remember, now." K'del looks momentarily bashful, watching Milani as she sorts through the piles, whilst he adds to his. "Right, I've got the napkins," he agrees, adding some more red ones to the pile in front of him. "Can you? Mm. Think I might like it. Marrin - he's the brother closest in age to me, guess he's about your age - he builds. And invents things, you know, contraptions. But I never really tried. And Ander does instruments. You never had the desire to... make something? Reckon siblings help prepare you for dealing with people. P'ax might have fewer problems, if he'd had a brother or sister, I think." "It's okay," Milani says for that look, and roots around in the top of the box she's opened. "I think it's something we're both pretty clear on. And good for the napkins. I think I want to re-organize this so it's all in less boxes too. And better labeled." With that all figured out she flips the box closed and tries another. "Oh here's the garlands. Good. If you're set over there, help me check them over for damage? They're made with fake stuff, so we don't have to deal with making fresh ones every turn." She listens about his brothers though. "A'son's brother is like that. A contraption-maker. He went off to the Smithcraft though." Millie considers for a moment. "Well. I made things when I was little. You know. Clay things. Bead necklaces. Macaroni art. For my mother. But other than a little bit of bad drawing, no. I was a tomboy. I liked to run and fish and climb trees and throw snowballs. Though I guess ... I might like to try making books. But they're so expensive." She blows out a little breath and regards the bronzerider thoughtfully. "He wouldn't have lived in his own head so much maybe." "Give me a minute," says K'del, as he pulls out the last couple of napkins, and adds them to their respective piles. As he works, he adds, "Marrin stayed at home, keeps making things that help my father, and Brennan, with the grapes. I was always kind of jealous: everyone seemed to be good at /something/. But I guess I've told you that before, too." He crawls closer, so as to help with the garlands, and adds, "Could practice with cheaper materials, and just do a few. Every so often. Must be making a few marks, as Headwoman, anyway." He reaches in to gather up a garland, working over it gently to check for flaws, and adds, his head turning so that he can look at Milani as he responds, "Mm, exactly. And wouldn't have had so much pressure on him, from his parents, I guess." "Sure," Milani replies placidly, carefully unwinding a garland from its resting place and looking through the false berries and blooms. "The end of this one is getting a little ratty. Might have to see about replacing it or just trimming off a few inches," she murmurs and looks up as K'del approaches. "Not a bad idea and I do make a decent salary. I just have a bad habit of spending it on you know, pretty dresses and other skimpier things," she notes to him teasingly. Her face and voice go thoughtful again. "Does it always work out that way though? Sometimes eldest kids just seem to get all the pressure anyway." "We couldn't have you skimping out on those clothes, then. Forget I said anything!" teases K'del, as he tucks a leaf in to secure it on the garland in his hands. "I'll get an extra quarter-mark, this pay. That's going to be exciting. This one's not in too bad a shape," he adds, settling his garland down and reaching for another. "And maybe it doesn't, I guess. Just seems like the more there are, the more attention is needed elsewhere, even if the pressure is still on one. Don't know if Bren ever felt pressured. Think he really wanted what was expected for him." "Mmm. Your true priorities rear their heads," Milani teases back, eyes twinkling and finds some loose 'berries'. "These should go back on with a little bit of glue ... and oh that /will/ be nice. This summer ought to be fun for Gathers. You'll be completely free other than duties. We can go whenever we'd like. Though Lou ... L'vae I mean, he's pretty strict about the drills. Which reminds me -- happy about the wing? And P'ax I think wasn't unhappy about what was expected when he could make good on it. It's just now ..." K'del lifts a single finger, noting, "/One/ priority, Millie, my sweet, just one." He grins, inspecting his next garland, as a cloud of leaves come floating down. "Eew, this one's shedding on me. Mm, it /will/ be. L'vae does seem pretty strict on it, but I don't mind. Still have plenty of down-time to do things, and I like getting to keep busy. Reckon Glacier, and some of the others, might drive me mental. And yeah, I am happy. It's what I wanted." Of P'ax, he adds, "Mm, suppose. Didn't really talk to him when we were candidates, or before. We didn't get along." Milani can't help but giggle, head ducking a bit. "Good thing our one big priority, often lines up," she says and wrinkles her nose up, leaning over to brush shedding bits off of him. "I think we can pitch that one then. See about a new one." Her head bobs about the wing differences. "Mm. I think I'll just keep my mouth pinned about Glacier and how a certain wingleader does things. But I /am/ happy for you that you got the wing you wanted." She looks up at him though about P'ax, nods. "I did, some. Taking care of all of you," she says with a sweet smile. "Isn't it, but?" K'del's smile is beatific, except for the way his eyes dance, utterly spoiling the effect. Nor does her assistance with the shedding leaves aid in that - he ends up grinning outright, as the leaves go sailing onto the floor, instead. "Drowning in fake leaves! Mm, think so. Don't want to cause more of a less than we need to, right?" The garland gets set aside, and he reaches for another, his hand hesitating before it actually gets there, as she adds her comment about Glacier. "Mm," he agrees. "Let's avoid that, for the moment. Happy thoughts, instead! Though... Tiriana did not look pleased about being left as hostess, when Satiet left. Hah." The garland, finally, gets hoisted out, as he adds, teasingly, "Little Mother Millie, taking care of the candidates. Faranth, seems like a long time ago." "Mmmmmhm," Milani can't help but agree and she sets aside that garland, pushes them aside and crawls over towards him, mischief in her eyes. "I'll recuse you," she says with mock bravery. "Oh /really/. Hm. Well, good. She was awful the other day," and Millie sticks her tongue out, then reaches out one-handed, aiming to clear K'del's lap of garlandy encumbrance. "Little. Mother. Millie? Shells. I hope I didn't come off that way. And I /really/ hope you don't see me that way /now/. But it does ... only just over a turn, but a long one." "My hero," quips K'del, his fingers stilling as she begins to crawl towards him, that same mischief settling itself into his own expression. "She's always awful," he adds, though his heart is clearly not n it, not when his lap is being cleared, and she's close enough that he can reach out to draw her closer. "No, no. Promise. Not then, not now. But you did seem pretty remote, then. Didn't really have any real conversations with you until later, I guess. Just a turn. Mm. A good one - for me, at least." "I like hero," Milani murmurs, giggling again as he draws her into his lap. Oh it's naughty, but she folds down into that offered space, legs hitching up and over his. Her arms thread around his neck, fingers playing with the little curls at the nape of his neck. "Remote. Hm. I ... had a lot going on I guess. And flirting around with you guys too much really wouldn't have been good of me. A little, okay. But not too much." Her smile widens and she nods. "Good. Mine's been more mixed. But I have you to thank for a lot of the good parts." K'del's arms get wrapped snugly about her waist as she settles in, and he looks most pleased with himself. "Hero it is, then. Mm, I suppose you did. And there were a lot of us. I won't blame you for not picking me out immediately as someone you wanted to know better." /That/ is definitely intended as a tease, though he adds, more seriously, "Glad I could help with that. Hope the next one is altogether good, as much as it can be." "I was with A'son then. And trying to work things out," Milani reminds gently and runs her hand up through his hair, though she's still smiling as she hitches a little closer. "Mm. I hope so too. Save a dance for me tomorrow?" she requests next. "I know," says K'del, his hands beginning to work up Milani's back, fingers rubbing gently. "Must've been hard." His head lifts slightly, lips parting in response to the sensation of her fingers; he adds, then, "Of course. If you're not too busy running around organising things." "It was," Milani says simply and looks up to meet his gaze, her own direct, franky. "Still is sometimes. But I have other good things in my life now. It helps." Her hands both move now up and across his scalp, working through his hair in almost rhythmic fashion. "I won't be. Once we're set up it'll just run itself. I'll ... be going over to Ista for a little while, then I'll be back." Her head tips to the side a little and she smiles up at him. "And unless it's already reserved ... save your bed for me too?" K'del's expression is solemn, and he nods, as she meets his gaze. "I'm sorry," he tells her, as his hands continue to glide across her back, up towards her neck, and then down again. "Ista. Of course." Again, he nods, accepting this without further question. "Reserved? Hmm, let me consult my-- no, I think you're safe there. All yours. Unless," and he hesitates, before continuing, "things go a different way. For you." "It'll be okay," Milani says steadily and leans into the touch of his hands, then laughs outright, winds arms around his neck and shakes her head. "They won't," the headwoman says simply. "All yours for turnover, after my little stopover," Milani promises. "I'd like to see the old turn out in style and I can't think of a better way than spending it with you." K'del lifts one hand to run through her hair as she promises, and he nods in response. "All right, then," he says, grinning. "One turnover full of style that you'll never forget, coming up." Beat. "You all set for lifts to and from Ista? Suppose you probably are, just thought I'd... you know. Make sure." Milani's head tips back, her laughter bright. "Oh well with that kind of a promise, how can I /not/ look forward to it?" She smiles and runs her palm along his jaw this time, lightly. "Mm, I'm good. If I wind up stranded, I'll send word. I've been training that lizard of mine. Even if mostly he just likes to sleep on my couch in front of the hearth." "Uh-oh. Now I'm sure to disappoint," teases K'del, grinning as she laughs. "But I'm looking forward to it, too. /Last/ turnover, I wasn't allowed to do almost anything. And before that, I was still at home. This'll be a nice change." He seems happy enough to accept that she's all set for lifts, and adds, "Lazy sot, that thing. But hopefully he'd do his job, if it came down to it." "Pshaw," Milani answers teasingly and leans in to drop a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "And this turn, you can take every advantage of being a full rider with all the freedoms and privileges ... you sure you'll be happy with just me?" she teases further and snuggles closer. "Oh he's still young. He might grow out of it. It's just kind of funny. Got him to sort of ... help keep an eye on things and instead, he's so mellow." K'del will, if he can manage it, turn that kiss into something slightly lengthier, though without completely breaking rules of propriety. He squeezes his arms about her, and laughs. "Better watch out. If you tarry at Ista too long, I might find me a-- I don't know. Someone else." One hand stroking at her hair again, he adds, "You got him from your mother, didn't you? Maybe she'd have some tips for how to train him so he's better at that." Something lengthier it is. Milani certainly makes no objections and brings her own unbridled enthusiasm to bear. "Mmm. Well. If that happens, I'll definitely be disappointed," the headwoman says laughingly. "Don't worry though, I'm clearing my night for you too, so you won't have to go looking, not that it'd be that hard for you these days. Fancy pants bronzerider and everything," Millie teases him. She nods though about the firelizard. "Mmhm. And I know she will. In the end it's not so much a training issue as just ... he falls asleep. Maybe he'll perk up a little more when he's older." /Such/ a smile K'del has, when it does finally end. "All right, then. I'll try not to drink too much - not that Cadejoth would let me - or flirt /too/ much, or get tired of dancing, before you get there, how's that? Even if you're quite right, and the ladies /do/ find my fancy pants quite alluring. Or intimidating. Some Apprentice I ran into at Harper Hall when I was visiting Ander was in complete /awe/ of me, even though I was still a weyrling, then, /and/ only a couple of turns older. Crazy." For the rest he adds, "Maybe it's just a baby-thing. Babies do sleep a lot, right?" "Mm. Who knows, if you do too much of all that, you could miss out on quite the night," Milani teases back and drifts her hands down his back to those pants of his. "Just don't get too big for those britches there, bronzerider," she continues the teasing. "And yeah, they get tired fast. So. We'll see. Or he could just be lazy and then that'd be ... well it'd be funny." She tilts her head, another kiss on offer, though when it breaks she sighs softly. "We should go get this stuff taken care of and ready for tomorrow." "Moderation, only, I swear," grins K'del, eyelashes flickering as her hands drift. "And no ego, I promise, Headwoman." He seems to agree that it would be funny, but doesn't reply - there's that kiss, after all, which he'll happily extend for a good long time. He makes a face, at the rest of her words, but nods. "Sooner we get it done, sooner you're finished for the day, right?" "Mmmmmm hmmmm," is the extend of Milani's answer. She settles her head down on his shoulder briefly, just enjoying the closeness. "Exactly. And the sooner I'm available /today/," she adds, laughing again. The headwoman squeezes arms and legs tight around the bronzerider one more time then starts the process of unwinding and unthreading herself from him and slipping from his lap to start re-boxing things to carry out to the caverns for setup for the morrow. K'del breathes in deeply, contentedly, as she lingers, but can't help but look disappointed, despite the sensibleness of it all, as she detangles herself from him and gets back to work. "You're a dreadfull tease," he tells her. "A kiss like that, and now we have to go back to work? Bah." Despite the nose wrinkle, the words are good natured, and he even gets straight back to work, re-piling the garlands into the box. "All the better to look forward to later with, my dear," Milani says archly and winks over her shoulder at him. "Besides, I promise to make good on any teasing and then some." It doesn't take long to deal with the supplies, to tuck them into a space in the living cavern ready for service. When it's done there's one more chore Milani has to see to and some things to sign, but then? Well, then she does indeed make good. "I'll keep you to that promise, don't ever doubt that," returns K'del. He dutifully helps with the rest of it, carrying - with some good natured, manly showing off - heavy boxes, and tidying things away. And later? Definitely worth the teasing. And the work. /Definitely/. |
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