Logs:Drawing from (In)Experience
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| RL Date: 4 July, 2015 |
| Who: Celestra, Dee |
| Involves: Fort Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Celestra makes good on the deal that Dee could find her for drawing lessons. |
| Where: Records Room, Fort Weyr |
| When: Day 3, Month 3, Turn 38 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: J'zen/Mentions |
| OOC Notes: Back-dated. |
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>---< Records Room, Fort Weyr >----------------------------------------------<
Dual entrances provide access to the Weyr's Records Room: the great doors
that open out onto a short tunnel to the Bowl and a twisting set of stairs
that descends from the Weyrleaders' Complex. Within the room itself rows
of stone shelving are carved out of the walls and supplemented by
freestanding shelving of dark, polished wood arranged in neat, well-lit
aisles. Bright tapestries depicting scenes from around the Fort region
decorate the walls, each with a glow basket in a sconce immediately above
to provide light by which to see the details and to leaven the gloom that
would otherwise permeate the chamber. Underfoot, a richly woven carpet in
shades of pale cream to rich klah brown evoke in abstract, the colors of
the Weyr, while a subtle patterning at its center replicates the
fortification that is Fort's hallmark symbol. Even without seeing the
contents of those shelves, one would know the purpose of the room, given
the perpetual aroma of hides, scrolls, paper, books and ink.
A few small alcoves have been carved out of the stone and filled with
desks and chairs, providing relatively quiet places for those using the
records room to work without being disturbed. Immediately before the doors
that lead out to the Bowl, several long tables are arranged to provide
larger, communal workspaces. Scribes can find writing implements, ink,
paper, and other tools of the trade in a couple of discreetly located
cabinets behind the duty desk. This cabinet and the outer doors are
typically kept locked when no recordskeeper is on duty. Late afternoon sees a wet weyrling squelching into the Records Room from the cold rain of the world without. For all that the Records Room will one day, by necessity, be a second home to Dee, the muddy booted girl in her very manual-labor friendly patched work pants and simple shirt suited to the same looks out of place as she enters. Enough eyes turn toward her when she starts to walk farther in that she backtracks to wipe her boots better on the rug (though no amount of wiping will fully free them from the honestly won grime). Hazel eyes flick around the room searchingly as she wipes the boots, avoiding the gazes that seek her. The rumors making the rounds about her nightmares are enough to spark curiosity beyond the usual speculation that comes with having Impressed to Taeliyth. The squelching surely does not go unnoticed by any and all in the room, if only for the identity of the young weyrling. The whispers around her might be of reprimand, for her wet appearance, coming thus into a collection of dry and sometimes fragile hides. Some, of her nightmares. Celestra, instead of sitting as per usual behind the desk designated for the one on duty, is wandering about with a book in hand. Rumors do not escape one particular's ears and sure enough, the one to which the name belongs is soon spotted. A single arched brow lifts upon the sight of her, spectacles perched upon the bridge of her nose. The searching eyes are noted, and she walks up to the young goldrider. "Good afternoon, Dee. Is there something I can help you find today?" The book in her hand shuts closed, while the other hand proceeds to remove and pocket the spectacles. "You, actually," is sort of an awkward way to answer that question, but that's what Dee has, that and a blush. "I was-- is this a good time to talk about learning to draw, ma'am?" Her hands move as she tries to form the question, brushing through the short locks that don't retain an abundance of water, and across her clothes, before she steps out of the entry way and into the room proper. "Ah, so not a something, but rather a someone." Celestra returns with a small smile. The question posed leaves the Harper to think for a moment or two as she moves to put the currently held book onto a table nearby, even as the young weyrling moves further into the room. "Now's a good a time as any." she finally replies, turning to look at the taller girl. "I did mention that you were free to seek me out whenever you were available. Now, did we want to just talk about learning, or would you like a lesson today?" "I don't have things for it." Dee's brows furrow with a touch of concern. Her eyes cast back the way she came. "Maybe we can just talk through what she wants-- what I want to accomplish and you can tell me some about the basics?" She looks back to the harper uncertainly. "I tried to draw once," she confesses, still awkwardly, "for one of my classes, but I was terrible at it." This is to say that Celestra has her work cut out for her. "Ah. I see." With understanding, Celestra chin dips in a brief nod. With one hand, she gestures to the nearby table in which she had just placed her book, an offer to sit as she does so herself. The legs of the chair are surprisingly quiet as they glide across the floor. A small knowing smile quirks the corners of her lips at Dee's uncertain gaze. "With the basics we will start then." As for the latter, "I'm a patient person, as I'm sure you'll soon learn." A wider smile for that. "First, we need to get an idea of what you would like to draw, and go from there. People, dragons, animals, landscapes... There's a variety of subjects. Eventually, you may learn them all. But let's first start from just one." Perhaps unsurprisingly, the legs of Dee's chair are louder. They scrape as she pulls it back and sits, assuming the pose of the child she must have been in Harper lessons not too many turns distant from today. She takes a breath and holds it a moment before answering. "People," is certain, her lips pressing together in a way that doesn't seem thrilled by the prospect. She shifts a little in the chair, leaning back, endeavoring to get more comfortable. "Sorry, could we sit on the floor?" It's asked just as oddly as the rest has been, even as she starts to rise to relocate. Given that the young weyrling had already revealed her lack of experience in the field, it is somewhat surprising for Celestra to hear her solicit people to be her subject matter. There's almost an approving glance, at least, for her posture when she sits. Just as the Harper was about to open her lips to say something else, Dee's next question receives the slightest of brow-furrowed frowns. "Ah... sure." Removing herself from the chair, Celestra leads the young goldrider to one of the small alcoves nearby before promptly taking a seat. On the floor. But using one of the chairs (a comfy armchair, as it so happens) as her backrest. There's a moment of silence as she waits for Dee to settle. "So. Drawing people. Also known as portraits. Not the easiest, but we'll be starting very simply. I'll also ask you to provide your own paper and graphite for our lessons. And you'll need a lot of paper." Dee's settling process is haphazard at best. Her movements have a natural grace, but there's a carelessness to the way she sinks down to take this position, fingers interlacing and falling between folded legs. "Not-- portraits, exactly." Dee attempts to clarify. "I want to be able to draw people in context. To remember what I see." She chews her lower lip, brow furrowed as she looks at the harper to see if she's made herself clearer. "Do you-- Have you been drawing a long time?" She queries, perhaps attempting to suss out Celestra's qualifications, or perhaps simply trying to introduce another point of focus than her poorly communicated wants. The clarification, or the attempt to, gets a slightly dismissive wave. "Either way, you'll be starting specifically with portraits... once we get you past the basics." Celestra explains. "The rest comes after." The rest as in, background and the like. The query earns a curious tilt of the Harper's head, hair flowing over her shoulder. "I have been. For as long as I've been a Harper. Took my lessons in it like many others. Though I specialized in archives and history early on, I would always draw during my free time. And otherwise. It is by no means perfect, but I've some skill to my name." Dee's eyes study the older woman's face thoughtfully. Her offered credentials are accepted with a nod. "I've only ever tried to draw plants before." It's another confession, a quiet one. "People are harder?" It's asked in a way that suggests the knows the answer but is hoping that Celestra will answer with something other than 'yes.' She takes a slow deep breath, "I can practice, sometimes. Probably not a lot, at first. We're-- there's still a lot going on." With a young dragon to mind, that's probably an understatement. "Did you ask for this posting?" The question comes as if it only just occurred to her to ask. The confession is received with a small nod from the Harper, the question, a pause. Celestra's eyes meet Dee's, searching? A small smile. "Yes... and no." she finally replies. "Of course. I only ask that you practice when you can. That is my only request other than providing your own material." The young weyrlings have their work cut out for them, as she's heard. The last query, "No, not quite. I had mentioned that it would be preferrable to be closer to the Hall, but the posting is entirely my master's choosing. Hopes that ah... I would be of some use at a Weyr." Exactly what kind of use is yet to be defined. "I will." Dee takes a breath before explaining very quietly, "This is important to Taeliyth. That I be able to do this. I don't know if I can do it, but I have to try. Our relationship-- it's not-- what it should be." Even if 'what it should be' might be arguably a lot of different things. "This might bring us closer." At least this should mean that Celestra will have a motivated student. Veering away from the topic of art, she asks, "Would you have preferred somewhere else? Closer to home? Is that the Hall for you or--?" Now, the inquiries seem more casual, less driven and as a result, far less awkward. The Harper is a good listener, and listen she does as Dee explains her relationship with her young queen. It is not unknown the fragile relationship the two seem to have, the related nightmares and their ilk. It is not something she would understand, but can sympathize with her situation. Celestra offers her another small smile for her plight. "I will do my best to teach you, in that case. And like I've said, I'm a very patient person." As for the other topic, "The Hall is and was my home, though I was away from it for some time. Down at Southern Boll, to be exact. I don't truly have a preference for location, other than what I mentioned." At least Dee might be relieved to find that Celestra has no qualms about answering her questions, awkward or not. "I may have very well been sent to Benden Weyr, but as Journeymen, we must travel to accrue experience. I would not have objected, regardless of where I might have been posted." "I would have," Dee's look is apologetic for the objection she never had the chance to make. "You seem like the sort of crafter that all masters hope to deal with. Are you?" The observation and accompanying inquiry are oddly direct, but perhaps odd is beginning to seem par for the course for dealing with young Dee. "How are you finding being posted to a Weyr so far?" Soft laughter comes from Celestra, eyes twinkling with amusement at the teen's response. "Perhaps, perhaps not. I did not grow up without my fair share of rebellions." A conspiratorial wink for the younger girl. Though her version of rebellion may be quite different from the weyrlings. "It has been an experience. I like to think I take most things in stride, both the good and the bad. Though none of the latter has happened. Yet." Celestra confesses, "But then again... I've only spent about half a Turn here thus far." "Well, hopefully it will continue to not happen," Dee can answer that much easily. "I've only been here a little longer than that myself." She shifts a little, letting her eyes take in the harper with a little more focus than before. "Have you found anything that helps make it feel like home?" One hand goes up to reach for long hair that is so recently no longer there, leaving fingers to find nothing as they shift to instead pass around her ear as though to tuck the memory of it away. "One can only hope, indeed." Celestra adds, relaxing her posture against the chair. Her gaze drifts upwards, thoughtful as they roam the spines of books on the shelves there. "A place can feel like home if you're there long enough." the Harper muses before letting her eyes drop back down. "The Records Room is where I feel most comfortable, if anything. Here, it is familiar. The smell of ink and paper." A Harper through and through, some might say. "Have you?" "My brother is here," Dee says it and then tellingly worries her lower lip. "That helps, but we're both so busy now." Her fingers escape one another to instead find the edge of the patch on her work pants and pick at it. "The Herb Garden or the grove by the lake feels the most comfortable to me. Probably for the same reasons. Closest to what we know." She picks at the fabric more. "It must be different. This Records Room. It's different from the one at Southern Weyr. This whole place is different from Southern Weyr. Except the dragons." She sighs, looking at the patch. "I haven't really," is ultimately the answer. "But I'm still looking." She tries for a smile, but it doesn't quite make it, leaving her looking just slightly pained. Celestra's gaze is thoughtful still, keeping it on the young weyrling for the time being. Her legs shift, removing themselves from the cross and spreading in front of her. Hands absently massage the area around her knees as she continues to listen. "Every Records Room is different, or so I've been told. But the smells will always be the same." Blue eyes follow the goldrider's hand, pausing for a moment on that patch before drifting back up. "From my experience, it's best not to force things. Go at your own pace, when you can. I understand that you must be going through a lot, both physically and mentally, but you have your fellow weyrlings to share your concerns, your brother, as you say. The worst thing you can do is to underestimate the burden that may come along with your worries -- especially when you do not share them." A pause. "Certainly take advantage of the little comforts where you find them." The smile is tried again and meets with slightly more success. "Thank you. I'll-- try." That's all she can do, all she's been doing, but each time advice is dispensed, it's another chance to do it better; that hope is reflected in her tone. Dee shifts to stand, "I should get back to the barracks. I'll get paper. And the rest. I'll come back when there's time again. Thank you for taking the time." She lingers a moment, waiting for dismissal, as any good weyrling would. This much, she does correctly. "And that is sometimes the only thing we can hope to do." Celestra adds, meeting smile for smile. The Harper, too, shifts, standing when Dee does. "Of course. Anytime you want someone to talk to, even, feel free to find me." she tells the young 'rider. There's a nod of dismissal. "Have a good rest of your day, Dee. And try to stay dry." A wry smile accompanies the last statement before she returns to whatever she was doing before. "If only that were so easy to do in Fort as it is in Southern," Dee answers the harper's encouragement ruefully. The gratitude is in the smile that really does come this time, settling briefly on the teen's face before she's turning to head back into the dismal day. |
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