Logs:Giving Notice
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| RL Date: 25 October, 2015 |
| Who: Jocelyn, Jounine |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: One candidate knot is personally returned to the headwoman. |
| Where: Headwoman's Office, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 7, Month 2, Turn 39 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: Irianke/Mentions |
| Storyteller: K'del/ST |
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| For those in the lower caverns, it's been an ordinary enough day now that the scurry of preparation for the hatching celebration and subsequent feasting has passed with the event. Assistant headwomen trickle in to deliver their close of day reports to Jounine before going off-duty for the evening. It's a few minutes after the last one reports in that one more figure appears in the doorway to the headwoman's office. Jocelyn has a small rucksack slung about one shoulder, although it hangs in a manner which suggests it's mostly empty. Blue-gray eyes travel slowly over the room, as though memorizing, before settling on Jounine. "I - have something that belongs to you, " she says after a moment before approaching the older woman's desk to drop a looped candidate's knot onto the surface. The line of her mouth thins a fraction once she releases it, but this isn't an expression of displeasure; her eyes are overly bright. It's a nice return to normalcy, in truth; no more candidates, no more hatching preparations, no more waiting. And yet, it could well be that Jounine has been waiting for Jocelyn, for this or, at least, for something, for there's no surprise in the headwoman's face when her former assistant shows up. Leaning back in her chair, those dark eyes study the weyrling, waiting for her to speak before she'll do anything more than look. "It was worth it, then," is her light remark, then. "It seems you found your heart." That line warms into a small, genuine smile for her former supervisor, former co-worker, and Jocelyn can only nod in reply, studying the finish of Jounine's desk for a long moment as she collects herself. "I don't know quite what to say, " she admits at some length, lifting her gaze back to the other. "It doesn't seem sensible to say that I'm going to miss the work as I knew it, but - I will. It feels silly to say that this is a farewell - and yet part of it is." Awkwardly, she clears her throat, one hand lifting to shift the strap of her bag. Low, "I owe you a thank-you, somewhere." "Jocelyn." Jounine's not, traditionally, prone to emotion, but she smiles, now. "Of course you'll miss it, and of course it is a farewell. As for thank-yous..." She inclines her head forward, a graciously poised gesture. "Thank you, Jocelyn, for your turns of service. These caverns, this office; they're not going anywhere, but you are." Reaching forward, she picks up that knot, turning it over between fine fingertips. "That doesn't mean the paths don't cross." There's a long moment where Jocelyn releases a breath she may not have been aware she was holding into a soft, if audible sigh. "I don't think you'll be seeing the assistant again, " is her gently wry rejoinder, "but I hope that as I - get to where I'm going - " A pause, as her expression travels through several different emotions before settling finally on something respectful. "Thank you, " she says at last. "I won't forget." From another, it might be a promise of political backing, but from this weyrling, it's simply a concise summation of feeling. Gratitude. Gratitude. "You'll never have my job, now," comments the headwoman, in a way that might be rueful in someone else, but is very near perfunctory, here. "But perhaps you'll have Irianke's. A High Reachian bred senior-- imagine that. I, for one, will watch you with interest." A pause. Jounine is not terribly good at this part. "She looks... pretty. Congratulations." Jocelyn acknowledges the truth in that first statement with a small dip of her chin, but the headwoman's continuation draws her up short. It's startled, that flash of something that passes briefly over her face. Imagine that, indeed. If it hasn't occurred to her before, well. "I'm not sure how long it's been since we've had one, " she says at some length, "but I imagine it's been decades." Not since sometime during the last Pass, perhaps. There's pride, too, a joy that briefly brightens her expression for the compliment, the congratulations. "She's bright, " and it's clear that she means this in more ways than just her coloration, even as she takes a small step back from the desk. "Perhaps you'll get the chance to meet." Jounine, the foreigner, likely does not know herself how long it's been; or if she does, she's not commenting on it. She sets that knot back down upon the wood of her desk, letting her gaze linger upon it a few moments more before she lifts it back to Jocelyn. "Perhaps I shall. We're all happy for you, Jocelyn. I trust you'll do us proud in this new life of yours." The well-wishes of the lower caverns means something to Jocelyn, for whom there's been no other substitute for family. So it's a thick, "Neither she nor I could do otherwise, " that she gives in response, straightening her posture to better give the office one more, long look, even as her eyes unfocus briefly. There's a softness to her when her attention refocuses on Jounine, something that was surely never present quite like this in times previous. The influence of having experienced Impression is still evident, even some days out. "I should get back." And however brisk her excuse, her, "Good night, Jounine, " is nevertheless pleasant enough. For a moment, it may look as if Jounine would like to say more-- certainly, she moistens her lips, then presses them together in a way that is almost expectant. In the end, however, all she does do is nod. "Good night, Jocelyn." And good bye. Or is that... good luck? |
Comments
Silva (19:33, 25 October 2015 (PDT)) said...
Oh this is bitter sweet. <3 <3
Squishy (19:46, 25 October 2015 (PDT)) said...
I enjoyed this far more than I expected. The layers more layers so many delicious layers. Parfaits for all. Both Jocelyn and Jounine
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