Logs:Someone To Talk To
| |
|---|
| |
| RL Date: 25 November, 2012 |
| Who: Azaylia, Brieli |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: The situation has been tense, but with their decision made and opportunity fast approaching, things are given a chance to mend. |
| Where: Greenhouse, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 7, Month 5, Turn 30 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: Barnabas/Mentions, Madilla/Mentions, N'rov/Mentions, Oriane/Mentions, R'hin/Mentions |
| Greenhouse, High Reaches Weyr A rustic and unadorned vestibule leads in from hewn spiral steps to a refitted ledge, enclosed by limestone pillars. Sturdy wooden framework captures elongated glass panes, tilted to absorb the most light during the day. The wash of heat from within, lush and humid, persists even into the dead of winter; the air is heady with the scent of fresh-turned soil and various flora. Long, deep troughs of soil line the inner stone wall, planted with an assortment of broad, leafy tropicals - practical and decorative alike. Fruit and vegetable baskets hang from rafters, optimizing space, tempting in reach with a perpetually ripening harvest. A series of stone shelving is devoted to flourishing, aromatic herbs and new green shoots; even the softest touch releases a burst of savory scent from tender leaves. Amidst the greenery, a handful of wooden benches have been scattered, making this a temptingly warm and secluded spot to sit. Shuttered vents serve to regulate humidity and heat given off from a small hot spring recessed into an alcove at the back; a secondary pool with cooler waters siphons off to provide a constant, fresh supply for irrigation. A small potting station nearby is cluttered with watering cans and gardening tools of various uses, with a wooden bin for composting materials tucked underneath. It's foolish for one to assume that the rain was done for the day, with such stormy clouds overhead. Azaylia's obviously been caught in it, judging by the speed in which she rushes into the greenhouse. The goldrider shakes out her cloak and dress, hair pulled into a messy bun with wet strands clinging to her face. She uncurls from around a book she's carrying, checking the pages and cover for any extreme water damage. Once satisfied, she'll continue to shake it out as her gaze lifts and gives a quick look around the humid surroundings. Humid and warm, which draws her in even more. Maybe she can hope to wait out the worst of the storm in here? It's humid and warm, and not raining in here just yet, thankfully. There's a few people working around the greenhouse, scattered here and there - amongst them, though not in the dirt, just on the benches, is Brieli. It's the bench she most commonly chooses along the paths, for some reason or another, while she works - but she's not doing much today but staring at the foggy windows thoughtfully, her folder of notes abandoned by her side, along with her jacket. Her legs are crossed, one booted foot swinging idly. Azaylia offers gentle greetings to those working, the ones who notice her. Walking along the path there's no real purpose in her steps, even after she spots Brieli. She slows but doesn't stop, seeming hesitent though it's not clear as to why. With a sharp little inhale, she hugs the book to her chest and strays off the path a bit, enough to make her destination obvious. "Afternoon." She greets, voice soft so as not to startle the other junior too badly. Brieli's not so in her own little world that she can't pay attention to what's going on around her - when Azaylia comes closer, she glances up to see who's approaching - and when she does, she flashes the other goldrider a brief little smile. Picking up her folder to rest in her lap, she nods to to the space she'd cleared - and maybe tries to get a look at the book in arms. "That it is," she agrees. "Enjoying it? Despite getting caught in the rain?" Azaylia returns the smile with one of her own, not hesitating to lift up her pale blue dress and accept the seat. "It's not so bad, just... Wish it was sunny again." A sigh, trying to find even a sliver of patience for what feels like the typical weather of 'Reaches. The book in her arms is nothing fascinating, unless Brieli has a secret interest in harper's tales. She sets it in her lap and rests her hands on it, keeping it close but not at all hidden. "I find the rain makes it hard to get any work done. I just want to curl up in a quilt all day..." A glance for the other goldrider's folder. "The rain... yes. It gets to be a bit much after a time." Brieli hasn't much patience for the weather either, but when has she? The book is glanced at only briefly then; for Azaylia's own for her work, she shrugs a little and explains, "Just reports, menus. I haven't been all that inclined to do much either, but I can't say as I can blame the weather for that. Or for wanting to hide out where no one can find me." There's a quirk of her lips for that. "How are you doing?" Fingers curl a little tighter at the edge of her book, "It's not... hiding, exactly." Azaylia defends, perhaps a bit guilty herself. Her weyr hasn't been as crowded as of late, and in fact the number continues to dwindle... but it's still people in her home. Always. "Better." She answers without much thought. "You?" After a moment, "And N'rov?" It's a question she hasn't asked in some time now. Though she must have seen Vhaeryth land on Brieli's ledge recently, and if not Hraedhyth would have let her know. With another little quirk of lips, "Not technically, no. I suppose that's when we actually leave. Go somewhere else." Not that Iesaryth has been all that inclined to leave much of late, nor have Brieli's forays beyond the Weyr exactly have gone well. Shaking her head, "Not better, not yet. But soon. And..." She considers before answering. "He's fine, I think. Under appreciated, maybe." Not that she's biased on that count either. "He was here the other night, after we... talked. That was good of him, of them." Vhaeryth's presence does seem to make everything a bit better for Iesaryth, sometimes. There's a pause before, "I want this done, but I'm not looking forward to telling them what we've decided." "I haven't really wanted to leave, anyway." Hraedhyth even less so, for obvious reasons. Azaylia nods, though she's looking out at the damp soil as she does, "I'm glad you have someone to talk to... sorry to hear that he's, uhm, under appreciated?" Whatever that might mean, given that he comes from a separate Weyr. "It must be nice, having a man around the weyr." A delicate sigh, something wistful held onto from her days as a holdbred girl. "I've got children, aunties and a... a Bones." Which has her expression twisting oddly, but not looking completely unpleasant. It all sinks off her face at the mention of politics, specifically their upcoming duties as weyrwomen. "I've been trying not to think about it." Her fingers tap at the novel in her lap, "I'm scared of what will happen if they don't agree. Will we have to..?" "It's probably better that way," Brieli says wryly. "Easier to not get into trouble." Her sidelong glance for Azaylia is faintly apologetic, though she still hasn't provided that many details. With a purse of her lips, "That's sort of why I asked if you'd been talking to anyone. I don't know what I'd do... Well. I'd manage. But it is nice." Perhaps thankfully, she's even less inclined to go into detail there. "Do you still want everyone there? I could kick them out if you need me to?" As for Monaco, "There's not much to disagree with. Those are our terms, yes? And we'll do... what we have to do, I suppose." Azaylia glances over at, "Trouble?" It can be taken as a nod towards her own issues with R'hin, and even if so the older of the two isn't going to defend her actions. Still, it's best to ask. "I asked Hattie for advice. And, I suppose I could talk to Madilla. I should see how she's doing, soon." Her gaze drops to the book, finding a page that sticks out enough to flick with a fingertip. "But when your best friend is... upset, it's kind of hard finding someone else to talk to about it." For all that the junior is friendly, not a lot of people are particularly close. Her head lifts, "Oh, not that I blame you or anyone I just mean, sometimes friends fight." If that's what it can even be called. With a slump to her shoulders, "No, I wouldn't want them kicked out. Not until everything's been handled. I owe it to them... and when we talk to Monaco's Weyrleaders, then our weyr can begin to heal." Glancing away as Azaylia looks over, Brieli tells her slowly, "I didn't precisely make things better with Monaco. Either time I went. Oriane... she's likely going to continue to stay out of this, and I certainly gave her excuse enough to do so." There's a blink though, at the Fortian Weyrwoman's name - with some little interest, "Did she say anything helpful? She--" A beat. "I think she's concerned. And she really doesn't have to be. It's kind of her." There's no real explanation for that supposition - and though she might usually argue about what the other junior owes anyone, she leaves that alone to say uncertainly, "I don't think they'll speak to us about it. Oriane said something about sorting things out with their 'proxy', and they don't want any part of it. I know you want to hold them to account, but... it's not as if they'll ever admit to doing anything, much less something wrong." Azaylia blinks in surprise as the other junior looks away. Her gaze intensifies with curiosity, "O-oh. I'm sure it's not as bad as you think. Probably better than I would have done, on my own." The book is coaxed to stand, vertically pressing into the tops of her thighs as she does her best to remember the Fortian Weyrwoman's words. "She said we shouldn't let anything get between us, at least, uhm... professionally. And she's the one who reminded me that," A soft smile there, "That goldriders will end up working together a long time, because they can't be replaced like Weyrleaders can." Something like that. Azaylia's back straightens and this time her look to Brieli is one of shock, "What? You think they'd..?" The book is slammed on the bench, voice rising into an indignant squeak. "How can they be so... so... They're the Weyrleaders. It's their job to care!" "Apparently, I threatened her. But I didn't mean it as a threat, it was just that... Oh, never mind. I drew a line, I told her off, and she was singularly unimpressed. I don't even think I was all that intimidating. And I really tried." Brieli sighs heavily before looking over to Azaylia with a faint, rueful smile. "I don't imagine you would have done that." Hattie's words might get more attention in a regular conversation, but in this one, the other junior's outburst is more important. With a shrug, "I think they don't want to be seen anywhere near this incident - because they likely don't care about many people other than themselves. I imagine they'd see - or explain their position - as protecting the Weyr's reputation, never mind our loss or their part in it. Which we can never be sure wasn't greater. It's not a good situation." "The more I hear about her..." Azaylia mutters, more of a heavy sulk than any sort of grumble, "The more I'm not so sure I wouldn't have done the same. She sounds infuriating." There's a touch to Brieli's arm, either of forgiveness or understanding, likely a bit of both. "All we can really do is try. We're going to mess up sometimes... I'm beginning to accept that." The book is retrieved and given an apologetic hug to her chest. "Well! I think it hurts their reputation even more. And you can bet it's going to be a while before I'm comfortable with any Monaco riders visiting." Huff. "So, does that mean we have to talk to him?" R'hin. Double huff. Her smile still a bit wan, Brieli looks over to Azaylia, almost grateful. Almost. "She's not all that terrible until you have differences. It would have been so much smarter to keep playing the good little goldrider, instead of... what I did. But telling us where to go when they had no right... Even if they weren't about to follow through on it, it was manipulative. And it upset you." That's likely the issue, given the junior's never had problems with the former before. With a wrinkle of her nose, "We can mess up, I'd just rather not do it while or because I'm angry. I'm better than that." She can't help but grin at the other woman's state, but; "It seems so. For what it's worth, he seems to care about what happens. That's more than I can say for the Weyrleaders." Azaylia looks doubtful. "Smarter? Maybe." She's never had a mind for politics, not that she has much of a choice now. "I think it's important to let them know where you stand, though. Not everything can be fixed by tricking people." She hopes. "It did upset me, and maybe that's what they wanted." The woman looks a touch guilty, hand retreating to rest on her own lap. "To be honest, for a little while I thought... maybe you'd want to go to Monaco. I wouldn't have stopped you." She's quick to add, "I know that you don't, now. I'm glad." As for R'hin, the junior will do her best to compose herself by staring down at her boots. "He cares about I'kris, at least. But he still... I don't know. He's too... sneaky? Good at being an ass?" The last word is much quieter than the rest, just getting it out now rather than when they need to talk to him. "Maybe not." Brieli might be more in favor of obfuscation and misdirection than Azaylia is, but she won't go there, not right now. "And there's any number of things they could have wanted, maybe just to see how you'd react. If it would upset you, if you would say 'Fine, take them' - I doubt they knew what you would do. At the very least, I'm sure it was intended to shake you up a little, yes." At the other junior's admission, she looks back towards the fogged panes of glass, confiding quietly, "Sometimes, I want to run away. Somewhere. Anywhere else. It's not that easy, though. And maybe I do belong here." There's something odd in her expression, something uncertain, though it dissolves in a little laugh at the last, shaking her head. "Sometimes I'm both, but you're still seen with me in public." Azaylia's lips thin just slightly, "It's the last time I'm going to let them 'shake me up'." If that's the case. She's got her game face on, now. There's a glance for the fogged glass, to perhaps see what the other weyrwoman might find so interesting. "You should. I mean, after this is over and after I'kris..." She won't say it. "I think you should convince N'rov to take you somewhere nice and relaxing. Make some time for yourselves, without nosy gold dragons watching next door." Hraedhyth. Brieli's laugh may be little, but it's infectious enough to have her smiling along. "Oh please. You're way better than R'hin. Much better." This is paired with a one armed hug that might be a touch too tight, "And you're much more stylish." Lightly, "Just remember. Remember what happened. An opportunity to even the score will come, at some point. Some day." Brieli's a bit sobered for that advice, but she still looks back to Azaylia with a faint grin - both for her game face, and for running off with the bronzerider. "Don't think we haven't talked about it," she notes, sounding a little too enamored with the idea, but who would blame her right now? "You could go somewhere, yourself. Home, perhaps?" And though even the other goldrider's one-armed hugs are crushing, she forebears enough to laugh again, for all that she looks dubious. Though not for 'stylish'; airily, "We all knew that." Azaylia may not be openly comfortable with the idea of revenge, though in this case, "I will. Nobody can avoid their responsibilities forever." The goldrider gives a bit of a scoot, rump settled on the edge of her seat. "Maybe. Home's not terribly relaxing, I usually end up helping Papa in the stables. Maybe I'll go to Ista, or Igen. Somewhere warm for us to sun." 'Us' meaning dragon and rider. She eases from the hug if only so she can stand with a bit of a stretch. "I'm starting to get hungry, and I know the kitchen likes to prepare stew for rainy days." With that tell-tale grin, it's more like Azaylia makes it a point to have it on the menu for days such as this. Given Brieli's been looking over the menus recently, there's a reason she smirks up at Azaylia as the other junior rises. "No, the stables don't sound relaxing, but the sun does. And I'll go with you; the sooner I can just take all this inside and stay there for the night." There's still the patter of rain on glass panes as she takes up her jacket and folder to follow, content to allow conversation to fall to the less-stressful work they have and other lighter topics. |
Leave A Comment