Logs:Adventures in Being Awkward
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| RL Date: 18 July, 2011 |
| Who: E'gin, Azaylia |
| Type: [[Concept:{{{type}}}|{{{type}}}]] |
| What: First trip up to the weyr brings a double whammy as Aza meets an Exile turned Candidate! Open mouth, insert soggy boot. |
| Where: Living Cavern, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day {{{day}}}, Month {{{month}}}, Turn {{{turn}}} ({{{IP}}} {{{IP2}}}) |
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| Living Cavern, High Reaches Weyr Stalactites hang high above this enormous cavern like a jagged chandelier or an inversion of the Spires themselves, but shadows cling to them instead of light. Below lie great tables arranged in rows, each large enough to serve a fighting wing, while in the nooks and alcoves around the cavern's edge sit more sensibly-sized tables, from six- and eight-seaters down to intimate spots for just a couple of diners. The only really open space is around the kitchen entrance, smelling of food and rarely quiet, and by the nearby serving tables with their long buffet of the day's offerings. Tapestries on the smooth walls -- some faded and others newly woven -- only slightly mute the sea of sound when a meal is in full swing, but they add cheerfulness augmented by the glowlight from wall sconces and the centerpieces of each table. Still, shadows always creep along the ceiling and into the mouths of the exits -- the myriad small hallways at one end of the cavern and, at the other, the twisting tunnel to the bowl near an array of coathooks and and hatracks -- and late at night, when the glows are allowed to dim, the chamber can seem very dark indeed. With the torrential rainfall, there are certainly better days to go looking for adventure. To a soul still painfully unfamiliar with the weather of High Reaches, each day is as unforgiving as the last. Not quite as wet, as Azaylia quickly finds out. The heavy wool clothing she's been relying on to keep out the cold is all too eager to drink in the rain. Each step is punctuated by an overclothed waddle, and a squish of her boots. Discomfort isn't enough to steal away the awe that is obvious in her rising brows, wet scarf likely hiding a mouth left slightly ajar. It is the squishy footsteps that rouse Elgin from his deep thoughts over the parchment before him. Rolling it back up, as the drenched wool person waddles by, he calls out as she passes, "Um...The are extra clothes if you need some." Clearly, the person doesn't live here, or they would know better. "I mean, they are for the islanders, but if you want to borrow some, no one would notice they were gone." Azaylia stiffens up, the bundle of obvious hand-me-downs turning slowly so as to keep the splashing to a minimum. Words are not only muffled, but spoken through chattering teeth and with a naturally soft tone, making it a bit hard to catch her gentle, "O-oh. No thank you. I don't want to be a bother." That scarf possibly rides up higher on her face as the apprentice hunches down some. "No bother, really, they just sit in a pile until some exile comes and picks 'em up." Elgin grins softly at the chattering girl, "Well lets at least get you to the hearth and with a mug of klah." Elgin stands, picking up his own mug and pointing to some chairs by the fire. "And then you can tell me your name and why on Pern you though wool and water were a good mix." His smile is pleasant enough as he waits for the females decision. Eyes widening, it takes a moment for Azaylia to find her voice. "Exiles?" It's more of a squeak, but she continues on, turning ever so slowly to look this way and that. "I... had almost forgotten. That they were up here." But hospitality isn't something to ignore, and with a low nod of her head, she takes careful steps towards the fire. "Thank you." Once again she tries desperately to hide behind that soaked scarf. "I'm Azaylia. And... it works for when it snows?" Someone is unfamiliar with hard winters. "Oh well, we islanders aren't so bad. No worse than anyone else I suppose." Elgin follows after the girl and bringing and extra mug of klah joins her near the fire, "There you go." As he settles into a seat and hands it towards her. "Elgin, and it does look warm, but soaks up water like...well...wool." He grins softly, "And are you visiting on business, Azaylia, because surely in the winter it isn't for pleasure." Azaylia would feel just awful if she left the seat wet, and so the peeling begins, each article of clothing carefully placed on the back of the seat. Only when she's down to a mostly dry sweater and trousers, does the apprentice feel comfortable to sit and accept Elgin's offering of klah. It takes a moment, but shock registers on the young woman's exposed face. "You? An exile?" A quick utterance of 'thank you' is given as she brings the warm mug to rest on her thigh. "I'm an Apprentice Beastcrafter. I... usually stay in the Craft Complex. Or the stables." Her words end in an embarrassed mumble, hiding her lips behind a sip of klah. Elgin watches the woman disrobe down to her sweater and pants silently. Chuckling he nods, "Yes, I'm an islander, and a candidate." His flicks the white knot on his shoulder, there is a soft smile at her surprise, "Did you think they kept us in hiding or that the guards had us locked up or something?" He raises an eyebrow slightly, though his expression is light enough, "Ahh, the beastcraft. Tell me about it then, what do you do? Are you going "walk" soon." He says walk like it is some new term that he has recently learned. An Exile is enough to give pause, but then Elgin goes and points out the white knot that she has somehow missed. Azaylia is left speechless once more, fingers gliding over the smooth surface of the mug as she thinks over her words carefully. Despite this, she blurts, "Congratulations." Recovery is a little less energetic. "Uhm. No, not exactly. I just didn't know what they- what you might be like. Without Holds, or laws." After another sip, Azaylia warms up both figuratively and literally. "Oh, Beastcraft is wonderful. I help take care of the animals. I saw my first Llama months ago... it was very exciting." She smiles shyly, "No, I don't think I will walk soon. I'm just here to gain outside experience from the Beastcrafthall and my home in Keroon. It's much warmer there." Elgin waggles a finger at the woman, "No laws?" The boy laughs with a tinge of bitterness, "Ma'am, no group of people could survive without laws. We aren't beasts.... We had - have - a council, and leaders, and a hierarchy." Standing and frowning with a look of disappointment at the woman, "I have chores to do, we do that too." There is a slight smile, "I do hope you dry quickly, and the offer of the clothes is open, just stop by the stores, I'm sure they'd be happy to oblige." With that he is off. Azaylia takes that wagging finger and lowers her head the appropriate amount. "I-I'm sorry." She's quick to try and make things right, "The last thing I want to do is insult you..." As he stands, the apprentice looks up to find disappointment aimed at her, and just like that she's back to hunching and staring into the contents of her mug. His well wishing is answered with a strained mumble-squeak, but she manages to get out, "Thankyou. I hope your chores are light, and..." Well what else is there to say? Embarrassment keeps her rooted in the chair long after her klah is gone, clothes still drying as the apprentice reflects on her first trip up to the Weyr. |
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