Logs:Weather-tensed Mealtime
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| RL Date: 28 April, 2015 |
| Who: E'dre, Lilah, Paislie, Lilah |
| Involves: Fort Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: A diverse group sits for a brief meal |
| Where: Living Cavern, Fort Weyr |
| When: Day 27, Month 8, Turn 37 (Interval 10) |
| Weather: Summer, strange, overcast |
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>---< Living Cavern, Fort Weyr(#513RIJMas$) >--------------------------------<
Fort's enormous Living Cavern is a vast, echoing space, with deep set
windows carved into the outer wall to let in light and fresh air. Large
enough to house the entire human population of the Weyr with plenty of
room to spare, the most common use of the living cavern is as a communal
eating and gathering space. Long tables with benches usually line the main
part of the cavern with a table set aside for the Weyrleaders on a raised
dais, as well as other smaller tables set along the walls for quieter
dining. Tapestries depicting historic moments in the Weyr's history and
scenery from the coverage area decorate the walls and lend the space a
warmer feel than bare stone.
To the east, a large doorway leads out to the Bowl, with a sturdy metal
door that can be closed during inclement weather or Threadfall. The
Nighthearth is tucked away in a little alcove near the door. The large
main hearth is used for cooking and for heat, though chairs are often
pulled up nearby for the Weyr's elderly to enjoy the heat. A swinging door
not far from the hearth leads into the Kitchen that shares the wall behind
the hearth. To the west, a passage opens up into the Weyr's Inner Caverns. The skies, air currents, pressure - whatever those who 'know weather by our bones' might find as reasons to excuse the climate, or people's attitudes - makes for a grim and somewhat tense living cavern this evening. People are clustered in tight groups, wingmates, residents, everyone seems to be hovering amongst their crowds. Conversations are kept low and there is a clear layer of tension rolling throughout the place. E'dre has settled himself at one of the few tables that has open seating, away from Hematite who has gathered nearer the food. He's picking at his dinner more than eating it. Smelling just slightly of ripe hay but little else, surprisingly given his otherwise dirty appearance, Kaelige comes in from the tunnels leading to the outside. That grey, dreary, stiffling outside air that so many are avoiding yet either given his disposition or his job or both, he hasn't been. For any paying attention to the nobody that he may be, there's a motion about his shoulder, a chittering as dark wings take off and are dismissed with a flick of a finger. Deeper in the living caverns, his awkward teenage walk is nothing surprising, but he is in no rush passing by the groups in low conversations. And, but moments more, he has his own plate and, soon, intentions for his own seat- "Taken?" Is asked of the rider with a motion at the seat across from him, the teen boy's dingy hood down off his head for once, displaying a messy mat of black hair and unshadowed mischievous blue-green eyes. Having no cluster of her own to gravitate toward, and seeming somewhat uncomfortable with them in general, Paislie is wandering a little aimlessly through the tables to find a seat that's less uncomfortable than some of the others. It's conveniently near E'dre's table as Kaelige invites himself to a seat that she's starts looking especially overwhelmed and on the verge of a tearful breakdown. A perfect dinner companion, obviously. The Weyrsecond has not been known to polite to strangers in the past and today would seem a good enough reason to continue on with that... yet he pauses in his food-shuffling to glance up at Kaelige. He considers the caverns at large and stifles a sigh behind his glass of wine as he nods towards the seat in question. "Feel free," he murmurs and leans back in his chair. It's then that he notices Paislie and frowns for a moment before he shakes his head and clears any sign of aggravation from his features. "You can sit here too." E'dre apparently knows how to be nice. Kaelige sets himself down almost at the same time as the Weyrsecond gives his okay, as if he was not really waiting for it. It's also done with little grace, elbows placed on the table in time with the thunk of the plate itself. A meatroll is picked up within those motions, somewhere, and is picked apart bit by bit as if finding just the right tidbit to actually put in his mouth. "Thanks." Delayed. Very delayed. Paislie is looked at out of the corner of his eyes, a slight smirk following the assessment and then growing. "Ah, sure, welcome." Sarcastic, and as if it's been his table too. "I heard its not so fun in the skies lately." Said not looking at E'dre, but with obvious intention towards him. The petite redhead glances over at the voice, between the older and younger men, and then away as though maybe she can suddenly find somewhere else to sit. But since nothing immediately comes up, Paislie turns toward the table with a quiet, "Thank you, sir," as she sets down her plate and sits with a timid sort of tension making her seem a little stiff. She doesn't look between the two again, but makes a point of starting to pick through her food. It isn't from outdoors that Lilah comes, but rather from the swinging door that leads to the kitchen. Any jacket or warm weather gear has obviously been misplaced, at least for now, with only a sleeveless red shirt in soft cotton over dark pants, hair caught up in a messy bun. Whether she was expecting to find Paislie here or not, that is who the sweep of her dark eyes lands on, only briefly catching E'dre and Kaelige at the edges there, though she strides full steam ahead towards their table regardless, wiping still damp hands against pants as she does. Kaelige could not find a worse approach with the Weyrsecond who finds that delayed response and sarcasm more than aggravating. E'dre downs the rest of his wine and is pouring more instead of replying. He is /trying/ to remain civil. "Weather's not prime for flying, no. Smaller dragon's are easier in the turblance than the larger." That's offered like a snippet of education and blandly tossed towards the younger man as the brownrider focuses in on Paislie. "You're welcome," he answers with a small smile before he sips more of his wine. He turns then and spies Lilah as she approaches. He manages to down the rest of that wine and is reaching for more. "Evening, Lilah." Picking at the meatroll continues, a few select pieces managing to be eaten. Eventually the remainder is placed back down, his fingers dusted together to rid them of the crumbs. A mug of klah is collected and held in his partially gloved hands as Kaelige watches E'dre curiously, taking in what he says with a nod but not further pushing his luck. Perhaps he isn't so stupid. Or maybe he is, the smirk isn't wholly lost. To Paislie, he turns more of his attention. "Keeping busy?" Lilah's approach isn't missed, and his mug is raised just so past his nose with another nod of greeting. "Ma'am." Paislie keeps her head down. One might get the impression that she'd have rather taken her food back to wherever it is that she's sleeping than eat in the crowded caverns, but here she is anyway. Hazel eyes lift uncertainly to look at Kaelige, perhaps not sure if it's her he's speaking to and perhaps hoping it isn't. She offers a weak smile and opens her mouth to answer, but the greetings to Lilah make her turn to look at the goldrider instead. She looks so relieved that she might be on the verge of crying all over again. This time there's a small smile, at least. The slide of Lilah's gaze over first E'dre and then Kaelige will have to do as acknowledgement of their greetings, a brief thing before the full weight of her attention focuses on Paislie with a worried question of, "Are you ok? One of the kitchen assistants said--." That relief is likely what cuts off the rest of her sentence, the goldrider only nodding. "Nevermind. I hope you don't mind if I join you, Weyrsecond," despite not having food as she moves to take the seat next to Paislie. She doesn't ask Kaelige's permission, but she does finally offer an added, "Kaeli-- e, wasn't it?" "Not at all, weyrwoman," E'dre replies blandly as he slides his untouched food further on the table. It might seem as if he's passing that untouched meatroll Lilah's way. He glances at Kaelige and then Paislie. He certainly was not going to start asking their names but he seems to be attentive to Lilah's queries. He finds a good place to be is behind his wine cup as he watches the group that's gathered around him. "Whatever you want it to be." Kaelige says oddly in response to the weyrwoman, fingers tapping the mug in something between amusement and consideration. If the weather's done anything to him, he hides it well. It almost seems as though he has no intention of correcting her as he takes another sip of a beverage too warm for the heat. "Kaelige." Is settled eventually, before watching the terrified-appearing Paislie with more subltety than before, more curious of the answer between the two that look similar enough. "I'm fine," she's quick to tell the other woman, even if it's said in that way that might mean she isn't but doesn't want to actually say as much one way or the other. "Really." Paislie seems somewhat more relaxed when she goes back to poking at her food now that there's someone more comfortable for her here. "Good," is all Lilah murmurs, content to let that answer stand except that she bumps her shoulder lightly against Paislie's, just the hint there of contact between the two. If E'dre's intention is to offer the food to the weyrwoman, she doesn't accept it, but she does look thoughtfully to that bottle of wine, so briefly. "Kaelige," she will accept and repeat. Maybe this time she will remember it correctly. "I take it you have a long night ahead of you, staying up with the runners?" "Don't those creatures sleep at night?" E'dre asks, clearly ignorant (or pretending to be) over the hubsandry of runners. He finishes off his wine and notices Lilah's glance. From the faint flush to his cheeks, he's likely had more than one glass of wine. He glances towards Paislie and tilts his head in an inquisitive manner. "Do you work in the stables too? I'd.., well, neither of you are people I seem to know." He looks to Kaelige then. "I'm E'dre, brown Wroth's, Weyrsecond and," he grimaces before he adds, "of Hematite." Now formally introduced he rises and retreats back towards the tables of food and drink to gather more supplies. He returns with a platter of cakes that he sets down on the table and a clean glass that he settles in front of Lilah. Without her asking, he pours her a glass from his 'skin and settles back in his chair. Rather than speak further, he turns his attention towards the caverns and narrows in on the group in the corner of Hematite riders to glower at. Kaelige shrugs, noted further by the rustling of his long sleeves, "Nothing long about it. Just another night." Is dismissed, "The foal you helped deliver is doing well. A little filly. The mare took some coaching, but all's well now. Another went last night, foal's sickly." He's eyes never really seem focused on his own thoughts as he shares what he's willing to share, but interested more encompassingly on the group. E'dre's question is given a moment as he looks across at the Weyrsecond, studying. Then, lightly and with another shrug, "They're funny things. When nights' quiet and nobody's lookin, they think that's the best time." Certainly not the most eloquent way of putting it, but he's a bit rough in total. "Pleasure to meet you, Weyrsecond." It's hard to tell if he's completely serious, there's always that off tone, but he does tip his head again as if he means it. "Somethin' the matter?" He asks after E'dre returns to glower at his fellows. "Change in weather can set the mares off," Paislie speaks up slightly and with a small, if uncertain, interest in the runners. E'dre's more direct question makes her look at him, then down at her food, shaking her head. "No, sir." But when he gets up, her gaze finds him again to watch for several moments while she can do so without him knowing. There's a glance to Lilah when her attention comes back to the table. "You helped deliver?" There is a hint of surprise traced in Lilah's features as E'dre offers her that glass, but she doesn't turn it down. Instead her fingers drape possessively over it, though she doesn't exactly thank him. "Mm," is the softly dismissive noise that she makes to the information about the foal, no real concern there except for the flicker of something almost like guilt in dark eyes at Paislie's question. But she answers quietly, "I do, sometimes." It is Kaelige's question that brings her attention back to E'dre. "Just keeping my eye on some assholes," E'dre quips, tearing his gaze away from Hematite's table to look back at his own rag-tag group. "I forgot that they're giving birth or something," he continues, shrugging his shoulder. Somehow more wine has found itself in his glass. "Lilah has a talent for healing," he shares towards Paislie in a more normal tone, any semblance of snark or attitude gone as he rubs at the back of his neck. "Some of us get to use our talents even after we've Impressed." He refocuses his attention on the quieter girl. "What do you do here then, miss? If not help with the runners?" Kaelige sets the mug down to return to messing with his plate, as if some hidden treasure lays within the massacre he makes of the rolls following the meatroll. For a boy his size obviously still growing, there isn't much on it. "More trouble than usual?" Is asked, though as if not expecting an answer, "Talent indeed." He gives, as likely a support for E'dre's comment and a wayward compliment of his own. "That time of year." He adds, somewhat unnecessarily, and slipping into something of a quiet as he listens and chews. "I... I know," says Paislie in regards to Lilah's healing abilities, finally sounding vaguely confident about something. But it disappears in the next moments because she doesn't seem sure how to answer E'dre's further questioning. "I don't-- I..." Paislie looks at Lilah, clearly seeking the assistance of an answer, whether she just doesn't know or can't find her voice to give it herself. "She is assisting me, for now. This is my sister, Paislie," is Lilah's firm answer even where Paislie hesitates, dismissive of any further prying as she lifts her glass to her lips. It's only afterwards that she adds an offhanded, "Well, they are Hematite." Who are all assholes, her tone implies. "Oh," E'dre seems surprised by that acknowledgement of relationship between the two women. "Well, siblings are always welcome here. I wis--, oh /no/," the Weyrsecond growls and pushes away from the table. The laughter from Hematite and general atmosphere seems to have pushed the Weyrsecond up from his chair. "I can't, anyway.. nice meeting you," he nods to Paislie, looks to the Kaelige and adds, "Keep those creatures birthing or alive or whatever.." He shrugs, brushes his hand through his hair in an aggravated gesture, and abandons his food and remaining wine as he stalks out of the caverns.
Paislie gives both man and boy a brief smile as they take their leave. And then it's only Lilah who will see how much more relaxed she is once they're gone. It will make her a little more open in talking to her sister while she continues picking at her plate until one or the other will have to be on their way. |
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