The Happy Harper
You find yourself in the well-lit Happy Harper. It seems to be perhaps one of the most cared for items of the hold. The walls have deep-red wood panelling, and glow baskets placed at a very regular interval. There are about six tables for eight and four booths in the corners. All the tables and chairs seem to be of a very nice quality and very well taken care of. Serving also as the center of social interaction at Gar hold, it is usually where one looks to find anyone.
Diena is here.
Diena
Diena is a tall gangly young woman of six feet. She appears to be healthy and well muscled, ready for any type of labor. Her skin, however, is a pale white, with the exception of her ruby cheeks and dark red lips. Her straight, thick hair is a raven black and hangs to her waste. Her eyes are a grey green that seem to shine out under her dark mane.
Wrapping itself gently around her tall, slim frame, this simple dress of fine, navy blue wool sports a fuzzy, miniature cable knit texture. Its square neckline gives a glimpse of skin, while the dress' bodice hangs loosely, with a straight waist. Long sleeves caress her arms, finished at the ends with a more pronounced stitch to hold the wrists snug. The dress' long, flowing A-line skirt sweeps gracefully across her hips and down her legs, ending at the middle of her ankles. Patch pockets, carefully aligned with the direction of the cables, are sewn on the front, large enough to carry the essentials of the apprentice. As a finishing touch, the neckline, cuffs, top of the pockets and hem of the skirt are trimmed with grey piping, giving the outfit a crisp, clean feel. Dark brown shoes, plain but nicely tailored and neat-looking, complete the ensemble.
Diena wears the knot of a Starcraft apprentice.
Diena is 18 Turns, 3 months, and 13 days old.
Diena smiles "Hey Linora! How have your classes gone?"
Linora shuffles in silently, scooping a handful of the glop-of-the-day off the firelizard feeding tray. On her shoulder, a young brown firelizard watches intently, his small body tensed and ready, eyes whirling an irritated orange. She's on her way to an empty table when she suddenly hears someone call her name, and her head swings around to look. "Oh... hey Diena. Um... What classes?" Did she miss something?
Diena smiles at the flit "He must be new. When did you get him?"
Linora drops into a chair across from Diena, a little confused by the sudden change in topic... but she doesn't have a lot of time to worry about it, since the little brown claws his way down her arm and rips into the scraps in her hand, wings extended protectively. With a bit of an eyeroll she dumps the remaining scraps onto the table and slumps back in her chair. "Oh... 'bout a month ago, I guess." One corner of her mouth turns up in a rueful grimace. "He's not real nice." Spray, meanwhile, continues to doze on her shoulder, tail wrapped around her neck.
Diena chuckles "Not a nice guy, eh?" she looks at the little flit, and wonders what her dart is up to now "So where have you been if not in classes?"
Linora shakes her head, watching little Fury devouring the scraps, then shrugs. "Mostly in the archives an' stuff, copying charts." When she's doing what she's supposed to be doing. She's been finding it oddly difficult to concentrate. "I had an advanced optics class with Riina," she adds. That had been fun.
Diena nods "That sounds exciting." she says "I have been mostly working on my project. But luckily I've been able to do it in the fields" she beams happily.
Linora cracks a grin. "Ya mean you're not livin' in the Observatory anymore?" Lost for something to do with her hands, she wipes them on her trousers. Don't dare touch the scraps or the flit, not if you value your fingers... she's learned that the hard way.
Diena nods "I know better than to touch strange flits" she says teasingly towards the little brown. She smiles and holds up her distanceviewer and announces proudly. "No more observatory for me"
Linora smiles broadly. "Oh, ya finally got the optics class!" Getting to her feet, she walks to the bar and pours off a large mug of juice for herself. And... hm... is she gonna have to go to the kitchen to get some supper? "I shoulda gone to the dining hall," she mumbles, as she sits back down. Knows her way around the dining hall, after all. But Fury needed some food, and meatrolls just didn't seem right.
Diena looks a little nervous as Linora plans to leave her alone with a mean little firelizard. "Um.. is he going to be OK without you?" she asks.
Linora is back almost as quickly as she left, looking quizzically at Diena over the rim of her mug. "Hmmm? Naw, he's okay." She grins. "Long as he got something t'eat." Of course, she could use something to eat herself....
Diena yawns a little and leans back in her chair "I think the wherry is still warm"
Wherry sounds good to Linora. Actually, anything foodlike. She gets up and fills a plate, heaping, with wherry, tubers, fingerroots, bread, and cheese. A moment later, she's back in her chair and eating hungrily. Fury helps himself to a bit of wherry from her plate, fluttering off to a nearby table to tear into it in peace. Between bites, she manages to hold up some kind of conversation. "How's your project comin', then?"
Diena's eyes widen and she wonders for a moment how Linora keeps her figure "I think it's done. But then Carise hasn't seen it yet. I hope she doesn't think me silly" she chuckles.
Linora isn't actually aware she /has/ a figure to keep or lose. She just eats when she's hungry. And right now, she's hungry. But she does pause long enough to answer Diena. "Naw. She prolly won't." Of course, Lin has no idea what Carise would think. "After all that work and stuff?" She shrugs. Keris had liked hers. Well, obviously, since she'd been promoted.
Diena smiles shyly "Well, I have to admit it's been fun work. I mean, most of the time I just sitout in the field and listen to the wind. And sometimes" she grins "even catch glimpses of conversations."
Linora stops eating, stiffening a bit. A deep breath later, she manages to sound almost casual. "Conversations?"
Diena nods "Oh yeah.. you can pick up some of the best gossip in the field" she continues unawares before composing herself like a lady again "Not that I am into that sort of thing"
Linora hms thoughtfully. And dares to ask. Since she mysteriously seems to have lost her appetite. "So... um... what kinda gossip?" Pushing bits of food around the plate with her fork. Innteresting.
Diena blushes "Just things.. I notice couples go out there to the lake and waterfall to kiss and hold hands. The journeymen never find them out there.. The vinyards to." she smiles "Of course, I can enver see them but sometimes its so hard to concentrate on my studies"
"I bet." Linora smiles, but just a little. She can actually identify with having trouble concentrating on studies... but prolly not for the same reasons. She takes a long sip of juice, then starts in on her food again.
Diena smiles, wondering if she has made the girl uncomfortable. But then she asks "So, how is Cress?"
Linora nearly chokes on that last bite of food - relaxed too soon. A long sip of juice later she manages to answer. "He's okay. I guess." Pale eyes dart around the room before focusing on the plate again.
Diena stands up and stretches "Well, I guess I should go get some sleep. You never know what we might be doing tomorrow" she smiles "Goodnight, Linora"
"G'night." Linora gives up completely on dinner, gathering her dishes and pushing them to a corner of the table. If the drudges won't serve, they can at least clean up. Shells, she's confused.
Diena walks delicately in to the Entry Hall.