Logs:Advice and Assistance
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| RL Date: 6 March, 2016 |
| Who: Jocelyn, Jounine |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Reluctantly deciding to seek an assistant, Jocelyn asks Jounine for advice. |
| Where: Jocelyn's Weyr, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 14, Month 3, Turn 40 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: Farideh/Mentions, Irianke/Mentions |
| Storyteller: K'del/ST |
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>---< Jocelyn's Weyr, High Reaches Weyr >----------------------------<
Separated from both the weyrleaders' complex and the passage to the
dragon's ledge by heavy tapestries, this weyr is easily spacious enough to
fit at least three, large dragons, an enormity that feels rather empty due
to the minimalistic furnishings. The outermost room of this weyr currently
seems to be designated as a front-facing, public space. Centered between
the two entrances, a large, stone table is surrounded by several sensible,
straight-backed chairs. Nearby, a trap door in the wall covers an old,
elevator-pulley system connected to the kitchens, its mechanism
occasionally finicky despite its polished state. A sizable, glassed-in
bookshelf is built into the wall near the opening that leads into the
inner weyr, containing a handful of books and situated next to a series of
small, empty ceiling hooks which look suitable for hanging plants. Two
cozy-looking armchairs are available for more informal seating, precisely
arranged around a homespun rug in dark blue, but the present paucity of
decor does little to render this outer room as anything but severe.
Curtained off by thick, dark drapery, the entrance immediately beyond
opens to more private chambers, a section of two bubbles in the caldera
wall joined by a short tunnel. The smaller, blue-wash walled room closest
to the outer weyr also connects to a personal bath, largely enclosed off
by a carefully carved strip of rock wall. Heat and cool air mingle in the
space between it and the rider's bedchamber, which is mostly filled by a
large bed kept made up in plain, if soft linens and blankets. At the foot
of the bed is a large, cedar chest bearing the insignia of High Reaches
Weyr and a stylized 'J &A'; against the far wall is a darkly-stained
armoire.
Down the short passage, the larger of the two rooms serves as a private
study. An ornate desk takes up most of the available space with ample
shelves just above it; against the wall is an additional, open bookcase
housing scrolls and folders of varying sizes. There's little yet in the
way of other pieces besides a plainly carved, if sleek chair nudged
against the desk, but the amount of glowbaskets tucked around the room
suggests that this area currently sees more use than perhaps any of the
others. With the formal part of her training officially concluded, Jocelyn seems to have had an easy enough time making the transition from weyrling to weyrwoman, at least where her duties are concerned. She's notably a little terser, more carefully polite with their acting senior queenrider in meetings with both goldriders and the lower caverns staff, but has otherwise maintained her usual briskness and expectations for her former colleagues. It's nearly a month after she receives her new knot before a note is left for Jounine one morning, inviting the headwoman to visit her and Aidavanth after the work day has more-or-less ended. Someone must be helping Jocelyn keep her weyr clean, despite the fact that she has no formally assigned assistants; it's presentable when the appointed hour arrives, despite the small stack of hides the redhead's frowning over from her seat at the end of the large table near the entry, where a small tray of edibles is waiting, along with a cold skin at the ready and two glasses. Jounine is unsurprisingly prompt, the sound of her boots upon the stone steps echoing upwards right on time. Someone has cleared the snow from out there, but the dark-haired Headwoman nonetheless pauses in the entrance to Jocelyn's weyr to stamp out what has accumulated within the tread of those boots. "Jocelyn," she says, drawing back her hood with gloved hands. "I do hope you're prepared to put those away." Outside, there's the sound of talons on stone as Aidavanth lands on her ledge and makes her way inside to her couch that's layered with rushes and a thick cover to increase its warmth in the winter. Perhaps it's the sound of both arrivals that draws Jocelyn's attention up from her work; whichever the case, the corners of her mouth lift upward, one hand squaring the stack before pushing it carefully aside. "Old habits, " she says self-deprecatingly, rising to greet Jounine with a weary, if genuine smile. "I had a few things brought up. Help yourself. Sit wherever you'd like." She remains standing in the meantime, hands stuffing awkwardly into her pants' pockets. "I appreciate your time. I'm in need of some advice, which I'd prefer not to bother Farideh with." Jounine's dark eyes seek out Aidavanth, acknowledging the queen with a tip of her chin for all that her attention is not inclined to settle: she hangs her cloak, stepping past the threshold of Jocelyn's weyr on light feet. "I'd wondered if this might be more than a social invitation," she says, without censure or obvious amusement; a statement of fact, then, one that accompanies her as she sinks into one of the armchairs. "And I am happy to oblige, of course, if I can." She studies the younger woman, letting that be obvious even if her conclusions (if any) are far from clear. "Slightly more than, " Jocelyn allows, following in the older woman's wake after she chooses one of the more comfortable seats, "although it's hardly business." No, this is perhaps the sort of advice she'd ask of someone whose opinion she trusts, as she permits herself to lean back into the chair across from Jounine, expression thoughtful. Frankly: "It's been recommended that I take on a full-time assistant to work closely with me and attend to tasks I don't always have time for during the day. I'd prefer to not have one at all, " surprise, surprise, "but I'm starting to think it might be something I should at least try to consider. I'm not as familiar with the girls in every department as I was when I worked for you; is there anyone in particular you'd recommend to me? I think it'd have to be someone who's not overly young in demeanor, who has a solid head on her shoulders and isn't going to be afraid of me every step of the way." Another woman would be amused by that; Jounine merely nods, tapping fingertips against her mouth as she considers Jocelyn's request. "I can see why it might be difficult for you," she tells the other woman, "but I think you're making the correct decision, here. I imagine your requirements will be different to Irianke's, or Farideh's." She drops that hand back to her lap, laying her fingers flat upon her knee. "Not, I imagine, someone who will wish to focus too extensively upon wardrobe. Would you like some names, to interview? Or should I recommend one person, and you give them a trial?" A finger lifts, points at Jounine. "Exactly. I don't want someone to go into fits of girlish giggles every time I have to ask for their help to do my hair in a manner that's nicer than sensible for formal events, or to lace up those posture-holding dresses." The very notion makes Jocelyn predictably grimace, hand dropping back to interlace with the other in her lap afterward. "Names might be a good starting point, " certainly one that's commitment-free, "but if you've a particular recommendation, I'd like to hear who it is and speak to her first. Discretion is, of course, a key factor." Something in Jocelyn's reaction makes Jounine smile, narrow-lipped but still positive-- and ever slightly less serious than she so often is. "It may," she tells Jocelyn, honestly, "take several attempts to find the correct person. You'll do best to give people a trial, rather than a firm position, to begin with." That hand lifts again, this time to allow her to tick off fingers: "There's Margaera, in the laundries, though she may be less well suited to academic tasks. Seriska in the storerooms has caught by attention as a possible assistant headwoman; she might suit. Alternatively..." She pauses, lips pursed in consideration. Jocelyn listens to the advice, the names and tidbits of introduction, taking them all in with a considering look. "I don't expect to get lucky on the first shot. First tries have nev - rarely worked out well for me." Something warms her expression there, before it tapers back in favor of studying the headwoman. "Margaera, Seriska, " she repeats, then. "Someone quick and smart would certainly be an asset, but I don't want to hold back someone from a career promotion that might better suit the weyr's needs, " to say nothing of the other party's individual goals. As for Jounine's pause, the goldrider's eyebrows lift expectantly; she waits. "There are those who would see a position as a weyrwoman's personal assistant an equally promising stepping stone," is Jounine's answer to that. "Though I cannot speak to the feelings of either of those young women in particular, at least on this subject. The other option... my brother's eldest daughter is eighteen, and wishes to see more of the world before her marriage, in another two turns. She would, of course, be an outsider." The complications related to that go without saying; clearly, Jounine has no doubt that Jocelyn will be cognizant of them. "That's something I'd wish to ask them, " Jocelyn decides with a lean forward, blue-gray gaze intent. At some length, "There are plenty of ways to see more of the world, but I suppose this would be one of the safer methods available by which to do so. Tell me about her, your niece. Has she ever been to a weyr?" Almost as an afterthought, she adds, "How long has she been betrothed? To whom?" Jounine's nod is solemn and approving, acknowledging Jocelyn's decision without further comment on it. For the rest, she's simple and practical in her explanation: "Jaine was born and raised in a Keroon cothold, and will marry into another. They've been betrothed a turn, now, and I believe they will be happy enough. She's not a dreamer; she's too practical for that. She's visited me here and liked it well enough, though of course it is different to what she's used to. I expect she would adapt easily, but not lose her head." "Suppose it worked out well, " Jocelyn muses aloud, arms shifting so that one hand can drum fingers idly upon the upholstered arm of her seat. "I would be sorry to lose someone both capable and competent after two turns and restart this entire process. Then again, there's no guarantee that anyone else would wish to remain in the position for longer - nor would I expect a sharp person to do so." Her gaze flicks momentarily from the other woman to the bookcase near them, eyes narrowing before they swing back to regard her former supervisor evenly. "I'd like to speak with all three of them, if they'd be interested in working with me." The curve at her mouth turns wry. "Not too eager, of course. Can you arrange for Jaine to visit you again within the next month, if working at a weyr appeals to her?" Again, Jounine acknowledges what Jocelyn has to say. "I believe both Irianke and Farideh have been through several assistants in the past few turns; it isn't a position that people seem inclined to stick with long-term, for better or for worse." She presses her hands flat upon her knees once more, and adds, "I will write to my brother directly. I'm sure it can be arranged, though it may be that they wish to interview you, too, should you offer her the position." Jocelyn makes a little sound of agreement, chin dipping into a short nod. "No, it isn't. Very well. I imagine there'd be less upheaval for them in this matter if she came here to meet with me, although I'd certainly be more than willing to pay them a visit so that we may all appropriately interrogate one another." It's dry, but there's at least some amusement present. "In the meantime, I'll seek out the other two you mentioned since they're more readily accessible and observed." "Good," says Jounine, putting her approval into words (a word, anyway) this time, to go with that repeated nod. "I hope that, between the three of them, one may be suitable. If not, I'm sure there are other candidates who can be considered." She seems pleased, in that subtle way of hers, though turns her attention back on Jocelyn more thoughtfully as she wonders, "How are things going? Now that you have finished your training." "You and I both, " Jocelyn grouses lightly, but seems relieved that the process is finally closer to being underway. Jounine's subsequent query elicits a little purse of her lips, a look that's less pleased and more half-grimace. "In truth, they're about the same as they were during the last couple of months, " she answers, "save for the slightly more elaborate shoulderknot and the fact that no one is addressing me as 'weyrling' anymore." There's a very brief hesitation after, a little pause that she ends with a small shrug. "As with any change, it isn't without its challenges, but that's to be expected." Jounine's gaze is considering, but appears to lack judgement; by the end of Jocelyn's answer to her question, she has only a simple nod by way of immediate answer. It's after a few moments of silence that she says, "My ascension to my present knot was not without difficulties, as you will remember. The most important thing is to not let others bother you; and to be competent, wherever possible, to a fault. The new balance will settle, in time. No doubt the weyrwoman's return will assist in this, too." Jocelyn does remember, says that little swallow, that small nod. "I'm glad now that it was you who was promoted. I don't think we'd be sitting here otherwise." For the rest, there's a brief glance toward the ledge, a lift and drop of eyebrows. "Irianke's return would - help, " she admits reluctantly, "although it's been nearly half of a turn. It's possible that there's been enough changes in all three of us that we'd have to get to know how to work with one another all over again." Jounine is pleased, clearly, by this; it shows in the thin-but-visible line of her smile, and the acknowledgement of her chin. "I imagine many things would have been different," she says. "And in ways we cannot possibly imagine." She's slower to speak to the rest, though her gaze remains trained upon the younger woman. "Perhaps that will make it simpler, upon her return: you'll all need to change the ways in which you work, and re-establish relationships. It must be difficult, having... having an external force dictate your working team." Jocelyn smiles a very little, too, and exhales while the headwoman continues speaking. "Simpler, " she repeats, "and yet, " all the more complicated, goes unspoken. There's a tilt of her head toward the table across the cavern, after a moment; "I don't want to hold you up from your dinner, but if you'd like to have a drink beforehand and unwind some of your day, I'd be glad to lend an ear. I - am learning that one often has fewer people to talk with as one gains loops in their knot." It's a little awkward, this offer, but it's tendered sincerely. "I would like that," Jounine reassures Jocelyn. "It can be a lonely life, for those of us in our positions. But-- you do have my friendship." And, reserved though she is, Jounine has plenty to talk about in a more casual way, until it really is time for her to take her leave, and return to the caverns. |
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