Logs:The Stars Align
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| RL Date: 4 July, 2013 |
| Who: Madilla, Tayte |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: When the stars align, all is right for two crafter mothers to have a girls' night out. |
| Where: The Sandbar, Ista Weyr |
| When: Day 25, Month 2, Turn 32 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: Devaki/Mentions, Dilan/Mentions, H'kon/Mentions, Issedi/Mentions, K'del/Mentions, Lilabet/Mentions, Yvalia/Mentions |
| OOC Notes: So, so, so backdated. Played via gdocs. |
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| The Sandbar, Ista Weyr Standing on stilts over the water's edge with a broad ramp leading up from the beach, the thatch-roofed building sits well above the highest tide line. The walls of the structure are nothing but timber frames, open to the cooling sea breezes but equipped with hinged panels of woven grass that can be lowered during inclement weather. Within, supporting pillars are draped in cast-off nets and shells and myriad tables provide seating with spectacular panoramic views of the ocean, beach, and the bustling activity of the docks to the west. A finely polished, sparkling slab of obsidian serves as the bar and it's smooth surface is etched with decorative carvings of shipfish and flowers and other emblems of the tropical location. Shelves behind the bar are lined with bottles and glasses of various shapes and sizes and hanging in prominent view are slates listing the menu, beverages both alcoholic and not as well as a handful of greasy appetizers provided by the kitchen to the rear of the bar. The evening is humid and breezy with brief showers.
It's a little table, off to one corner of the room, and by the time Tayte gets back, Madilla is quite happily ensconced at it, her outer garments removed and hang over the back of her seat. She's been patient while she waits, casting thoughtful glances around the room - almost certainly people watching, but in a way that is casual and unthreatening. Her smile brightens when Tayte makes it back, fingers grasping the stem of her glass as she lifts it in silent acknowledgement. "To nights away from duty? To taking time away from problems and pressures? To still being women, even when we're mothers? Or is it all of the above?" Tayte's laugh always seems to be easy, but perhaps especially so in this moment in response to Madilla's suggestion, her glass lifted, "All of the above, Madilla." She leans in to clink her glass and then asks, "Off duty, do you like Madilla? Dilly? Maddy? Something else?" Seems only polite to ask since now is definitely not the moment for titles. The drink Tayte takes from her glass is long and ends in a deep siiiigh. It's not the sad sort, but also not particularly the relaxed sort. More the sort of one preparing to shed life's burdens, for the evening at least. Ocean blue eyes float around the people at the bar, taking in men and women alike as they drink, chat, and laugh. "What kind of night are we having? The quiet drinking and talking kind, or the getting crazy kind?" Her tone shows that she's easy: up for either. The glasses clink, and Madilla smiles, sipping once, and then a second time, before making any effort to answer. "Any of those. There are people who call me Dilly, people who call me Maddy, people who call me Mads, too, for that matter. As long as you don't call me 'Mad', I'm happy with any of them." She turns her head, gaze following Tayte's but only by happenstance; she's got her own areas of interest, her own set of things her attention tends to be drawn towards. "I've never been terribly good at crazy, but with the right company... I've no idea. I'll follow your lead. For now, though, it's nice to just... sit." "I've been trying to get away from crazy, really, but, I'm beginning to think it's the kind of thing that-- if it's in you, and even if it's not normally, it's the kind of thing you should exercise once in awhile. Either so it doesn't consume you or just for a change of pace." Everyone needs to let loose is really the idea she tries to convey. But there's no rush on getting to the crazy or wild. They're only on their first drink after all, so Tayte brings her eyes back to the healer, her smile a touch mischievous, suppressed excitement for the prospect of walking on the wild side. "You can follow my lead, but you'd better give me some boundaries first so I'm sure I don't push you too far from what you might be comfortable with. Is there a special someone that would make going home with some strapping young thing out of the question? And are we talking that kind-- or that kind? And do you know how to flirt? Because, really, Dilly-dear, some of the rumors of your genteel demeanor and deeds suggest-" And here Tayte's brows draw down as though she doesn't really believe it, "-that you might not indulge in such things. Especially when it's just for fun. I even heard one rumor that you don't know what fun is." The alto is laced with gentle teasing. All those questions - and they make Madilla blush, though she's cheerful enough beneath it. "I'm sure half the Weyr would like to remember me as the innocent fifteen-turn-old I once was, virginal to the end. Despite my children, and their different fathers. And, to be fair, I'm not wild, and I suspect I'll never be. But... to answer your question, yes, there is a special someone, so no, I'm not interested in that kind of crazy." She swirls the parasol in her drink, and glances up to give Tayte an amused smile. "It's nice to forget what I'm supposed to be, for a while, though. And just... be. I can't live up to your level of craziness, but I'll try not to be too... sedate and boring." "Rest assured, most keep that memory alive and well," Tayte answers with a laugh, "But I'm glad to hear that your life experiences have shaped you into more." Her eyes skirt around the faces again before returning to Madilla, "So not even flirting just for fun? Sounds serious." Her teasing tone is goading, inviting the healer to go on. After all, right now, they're just sitting and talking. "Tonight, you can be anyone you want to be as far as I'm concerned. And I'll say nothing. Tonight, we're just two young, attractive, strong, women with varying levels of craziness enjoying drinks and a good time." Her drink is then given her attention, "I think I might have done something crazy, recently. I'm not even sure it's the good kind." So at least Tayte's offering personal insight as well as inviting it, but it's also just an offer; if Madilla would rather not be the dutiful listener tonight, Tayte's not about to make her be. Madilla? Still blushing. "Not-- oh, I don't know. Serious? Not serious? It just... is. I wasn't looking for it, and then, there it was. I'm afraid I've never been any good at flirting. I don't think I'd know where to start." She swirls her drink with the little wood-and-paper umbrella again, giving it a considering glance for several seconds before she turns her attention back on Tayte. "Something crazy," she repeats. "I suspect 'crazy' rather depends on an individual definition. I'm sure some of the things I have done count as crazy in some books. But - tell me? If you like." "I lack much personal experience on which to base this, but from what I've heard, the ones that just 'happen' are the nicest kind. The comfortable kind. Natural and all that." Tayte replies thoughtfully, "And I think I'm finding I like it best when nothing is defined. It's sometimes simpler that way, though not always. Does this someone have a name? I mean, I know you're a healer and so much of that job is discretion, and if it makes you feel better, there's a lot of secret-keeping involved in being a good bartender, too, but this is girl talk." So there should be names, evidently. "Flirting starts with picking someone you think you might be interested to know in passing. Someone to enjoy the game with. The goal of flirting, sometimes, is just to end up feeling good about yourself and helping the other person feel the same. See anyone you'd call interesting?" Ocean eyes do another sweep as she drinks before returning to Madilla, "I've agreed to let someone I've only known six months adopt my daughter. To raise her with me." How's that for a special brand of crazy. "It is comfortable," admits Madilla. "The last time I was in a relationship with anyone, he pressured me to move back to the Hall and marry him. I don't think he understood that High Reaches was home for me, and that my daughter - I only had Lily, then - belonged there. It's different, this time. No expectations." None of which is a name, but there's no sense that she's deliberately concealing; she may just have forgotten the question. Flirting is bypassed because, now, she's regarding Tayte around the rim of her glass, considering her seriously. "Do you trust him?" she wonders, quietly. "Wow," Tayte's lips draw out the shape of the word. "That sounds.... I mean, love is love, and all that, but that's a lot to ask of a person. Especially if you've already a life established where you are, and then double especially if there are children involved." If someone had to guess, they'd say Tayte didn't miss the fact that Madilla offered no name, but was either not pressing for it or simply biding her time. "It's good that it's comfortable though. Good that it's different from that." A beat, "No offense intended, but that last sounds dreadful. Then again, I never managed well with Holder expectations. Try as my parents did to instill them in me." Her eyes fall to her glass and her answer is quiet. "I do. Mostly. I suppose he's had a rough go of it in the last few--many turns so I guess I have a few doubts but... it was Vali's idea. He'd been helping me with her, spending time with us, and then Dee--" Her look holds a little playful accusation, "-comes into the nursery and tells all about his dad. And Vali gets it into her head that suddenly she needs one, too." There goes Madilla, ruining it for all single moms. The teasing tone shows that there's no serious blame for what the healer unknowingly set into motion. Madilla's smile is rueful for Tayte's remarks on that earlier relationship, and semi-serious as the other woman continues. It's mention of Dee that has the corners of her mouth twitching, but she's sighing, too. "If it had been up to me, that would never have come out," she admits. "Or - not now. He's too young. But then, it was my fault for telling Devaki, so I'm the only one to blame. I am sorry, if it's put you at all in an awkward position." If she has any idea about whom Tayte is referring, she's giving no sign of it. Instead, "Once upon a time, I wanted to be married, and raise a very traditional family. In a way, I still do. Life... has a way of not going the way we expect it, though, doesn't it." "No, it really doesn't. I didn't ever expect my Vali would have a father. I think he'll be a good one to her. It means she gets to have a family. Brothers. It means that if something happened to me, she'll be cared for by someone I trust. Not that anything's going to happen to me, but... well, I've worried about it before." Tayte's blush confesses her unease at the idea. And clearly, more drinking is in order. "It sounds like it was complicated for you. And Devaki?" It's not judgmental, just a little incredulous, "I'm pretty sure you can point to that and Dee as life not going the way you expect. You have to tell me," It's girl talk after all. "What's the new Lord Holder like?" She doesn't, of course, mean in a political sense, of course. More like, 'does he have a nice butt?' "I've seen more patients than I care to think of die before their time," says Madilla, simply. "Some with young children. None of them ever expect it. It's - better to be prepared, in as much as anyone can be. I don't imagine it helps, much." She hides her expression behind the rim of her glass as Tayte's questioning continues, though the corners of her smile are still visible - and so is her blush. "I knew him when he was a shoeless exile, bewildered with the world," she reminisces. "We were friends. It was only ever the one night, and it was never going to mean anything, but..." Even after everything, something in her expression suggests it was a worthwhile experience. "Shoeless exile does sound pretty intriguing." Tayte compliments before she's laughing, softly, and blushing. "Sometimes 'one night' things are good. Or at least the things that come out of them. I admit, I'm a little envious that you can finger the one night. The healers helped me narrow it down to a seven of them, and obviously the women didn't do it, so there's only a couple possibilities... but I-- never told them. Why--" The blonde starts, and then stops looking almost apologetically to the healer, "I know that our situations-- with the conceptions of our children-- were probably not much alike other than the 'one night' part, but I've questioned my decision. So I guess I'm curious... why did you decide to tell Devaki about Dee? If-- if that's not getting too personal?" They haven't even finished one whole drink yet, so 'too personal' might also mean 'if we're not drunk enough yet'. Madilla's not the innocent who would have flushed so deeply at the implications in what Tayte's saying: the women, the multiple men, the lack of knowing. Her teeth rest against the softness of her lower lip as she nods. "In the beginning, I didn't tell him because he wasn't there anymore, and I didn't know where he was. After that... Dee was mine, and since Lily's father was dead, it just seemed easier to say that neither of my children had fathers. But when... when Aishani came out and told people who she really was, it made me really think about secrets. And whether I was comfortable keeping a secret like that, forever. If I'd known Devaki would end up Lord Holder, I don't know if I would have decided differently. It certainly... complicated things." She has no hesitation in explaining, now. "When I first told people I was pregnant, and didn't name a father, people wondered if I didn't know. Me. I think it bothered them, that I wouldn't name him. But... it was the right thing to do, at the time. Everything was so messed up. In some ways, it still is." As Madilla explains, Tayte drinks. "He was good to you? For the time that you knew him, I mean." Tayte reaches a hand to tuck blonde locks away behind her ear. "I think I see what you mean about secrets. I have too many. I made a turnday resolve to try to be more 'open'. It's tough, though, when you train yourself for turns to simply keep things to yourself. When you're behind a bar, there's friendly and there's friendly with details. Friendly is what you want to be, the thing that earns good tips. Friendly with details gives people hope and gets you stalkers and so on." Nothing good, the shake of the woman's head seems to indicate. "How is Devaki's wife taking things? That was all before her, but I can't imagine it exactly makes it comfortable. Though I suppose a lot of the Blooded to have children by women other than wives, so maybe it's not so shocking?" She speculates thoughtfully, but looks to Madilla for an answer. "He was," confirms Madilla. "He's a good man. He cares about his people." If those are carefully neutral statements on the surface, there's nonetheless no denying that there's genuine, if restrained, warmth in her voice. In other words: whatever conflicts she has, she won't deny Devaki his due. "Friendly can be difficult," she agrees. "In that way, there's a similarity to our jobs. I end up with everyone's cares on my shoulders, too, and... sometimes that's difficult. It's easier not to talk about myself. Lady Issedi is..." This is a more difficult topic, and her answer gets addressed towards the remains of her drink. "She's not pleased. Devaki insisted she would be fine, but as yet she's made every effort to avoid me, and Dee. I understand, but at the same time, it was before her, and I don't want any claim on him, now." "Jealousy is a funny emotion, I'm told. Makes people think and do some crazy things. Maybe you just have to settle for her not making trouble about all of it. It's not reasonable but... what about feelings usually is?" Tayte empties her drink, looking to see where Madilla's is at. "So," Now she comes back to it, "You still haven't told me much about the current fellow who's garnered your affections. What's he like? Is he cute?" Madilla's glass is empty, now, too, but she continue to hold on to it, directing the nod of her answer to it rather than Tayte. "Yes," she confirms. "Exactly. I'm sure it will get easier in time. I can't blame her, even if I know we did nothing wrong." There's a pink blush lurking about her cheeks when she glances up again. "No, I wouldn't call him cute. He's... he's just who he is. Not handsome and charismatic, like Devaki is. Not the kind of man, in appearance or in personality, that most girls would dream of. But I've never been 'most girls', and I have no complaints. Now - shall I get us another drink?" "Please." Tayte agrees. "Make sure you point out who it's for. It'll either be free or deeply discounted." As she might've mentioned to the healer. "We've lots more to talk about. But it might be more enjoyable with a few more drinks." In the meantime, she's left to ruminate. Maybe she's thinking about Madilla's still nameless lover, or the evidently handsome and charismatic Devaki, or her own impulsive decisions. It doesn't take long for Madilla to return with the aforementioned drinks, one of which is slid in front of Tayte, the other of which she keeps to herself. The evening continues, after that, in much the same way: no doubt the healer can be convinced to name her mystery lover, and no doubt she'll get some information of her own out of the vintner. But it's all in good fun: Madilla seems pleased with the evening, and extracts, before they part ways, a promise to do it again - when the stars align once more. |
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