Dining Hall
Coming from the other rooms, the Dining Hall seems a little dimmer, Which it is. Positioned throughout the room are about a dozen tables suited for up to eight people each. It is far more than the Hall needs, but it is always nice to be safe than sorry. A table is set up off to the side. On it is a collection of cooled juices and fruits which are kept fresh from the nearby Orchards. With the constant state of furor created by recent events there few drudges not busy elsewhere, So please serve and clean up after yourself. A fire burns merrily along the west wall, and overstuffed, cushioned couches and chairs have been placed in front of it.
Linora
Honey-blond tresses, sunstreaked with platinum highlights, fall just to her shoulders, curling slightly at the ends now that the weight of their previous mass has been reduced. A few wispy pieces refuse to be tamed, often falling into her face to be brushed impatiently behind her ears. She's more or less stopped growing, a mere fingerwidth above 5' tall, and though she'll probably never be overly curvy, she's lost the childlike look she once had. Her features are regular if not actually striking, except for her eyes: palest blue, nearly white, they shine in stark contrast to the smooth, even tan that seems never to leave her skin no matter what time of Turn it happens to be.
A lightweight cotton shirt, crisp and cool, is tucked neatly into a pair of tan trousers - sleeveless, with a softly scooping neckline, dyed a soft, robin's-egg blue. The trousers, amazingly, actually seem to have been made to fit her, tailored flatteringly to waist and hips, following the lines of her legs and hemmed neatly just below her knees. On her feet she wears a pair of knotted wherhide sandals. Perched on Linora's shoulder is Mellow. Fury clings tightly to Linora's shoulder, whirling eyes regarding his surroundings with interest. Spray is curled lazily on Linora's shoulder, tail wrapped around her neck, apparently dozing as usual.
Linora is 16 Turns, 9 months, and 25 days old.
Linora takes a long match and reaches into the fireplace to light the fire.
The fire blazes up and crackles, and sparks fly up the chimney.
Linora adds some logs to the fire.
The fire crackles and pops as the new log starts to burn.
Mayala walks ever so softly in from the Gar Hold Entry Hall.
Mayala walks in a little wet from being outside. She shivers and stands next to the fireplace trying to warm up. "'Ello Lin," she says, taking off a black coat and laying it near the fireplace to dry. She knew she shouldn't have gone to the stables to check on the runners. It's not /her/ job! But someone has to make sure they're all right. Zhaan curls up against May's shoulder, his little tail curled around her neck and his body pressed against her for warmth.
The fire blazes up and crackles, and sparks fly up the chimney.
Linora is a little damp herself, curled up on the couch in front of the fireplace with all three of her firelizards wrapped around her neck and shoulders. "Hey, May." She looks up at her friend with a smile. "How ya doin'?" Not a word about the last time they talked.
Mayala shrugs, smiling at the cute little scene before her. Awww, three little flits all keeping their owner warm. How cute! She says in a quiet voice, "I'm doin' pretty good. Just waiting for a clear day so I can go swimming with Jerek." May gives Lin a wink and settles down in a chair next to her friend. Zhaan takes this opportunity to sit in May's lap and keep warm there. She giggles at her little blue wonder and pets him. "A little chilled huh,Z?" she asks him. He chirps back at her, making her laugh.
Linora grins broadly. "Sounds fun. I usually swim alone." Now that she's swimming again, that is.
Mayala moves herself in the chair to get comfortable, making sure not to disturb little Zhaan in her lap. "I love to swim with Jerek. He usually tries to dunk me but he knows I'll retaliate." She giggles and thinks of all the fond memories of him. Zhaan reads her mind somewhat and chirrups, making it sound like a little giggle. May looks at him and shushes him, a wide smile on her face.
Linora has her own memories, after all... why do they make her eyes look sad? She shakes her head to clear it, then shrugs. "I don't like getting dunked much," she says quietly, her smile returning a bit.
Mayala giggles, "Neither do I, but with Jerek...you never know what's going to happen!" She laughs and wonders where that boy is. May stretches a bit, still mindful of the blue body on her lap. "So how have you been lately?" she asks, not thinking of anything else to say that would make sense. Zhaan gives a chirp and nuzzles May's hand for a treat. She sighs and pulls out a little piece of meatroll from her pocket and gives it to him. She's had to pack so many little tidbits in her pocket for that little blue that her clothes are beginning to smell. Oh well, it's better than walking to the Dining Hall everytime Z's hungry.
Linora chews her lip, figuring Mayala means... what they were talking about before. "I'm okay," she says, nodding slowly, not wanting to say too much really. "Been kinda busy and stuff, workin' on my project." And stuff.
The fire crackles softly, and starts to wind down.
Mayala nods and smiles, sighing softly with relief. "What are you gonna do for your project?" she asks, wondering what she's gonna do for her project when the time comes. She giggles at Zhaan as he chirps for another piece of food. May shakes her head 'no' and smiles as the little flit seems to shrug and curl up on her lap. He'll have to be happy with just that one piece...for now anyway.
With a few final pops and crackles, the fire goes out.
Linora shrugs, smiling her relief at not needing to go into great detail about her health. "Well, I'm still kinda workin' out the details with Diena... it's taking some time on accounta she's at the Smith Hall now. But we're talkin' about working together on somethin' kinda big." Her smile broadens, pale eyes sparkling. "I'll tell ya all about it if it gets approved. Maybe you can even help. Ifya want."
Mayala takes a long match and reaches into the fireplace to light the fire.
The fire blazes up and crackles, and sparks fly up the chimney.
Alexander walks in from the Gar Hold Entry Hall.
Mayala smiles, "I'd love to help ya Lin. I sure hope it gets approved!" She yawns and stretches, "Well, I should be goin now I guess. I'm kinda tired and the bed sounds like a good warm place to be right now." She gets up, gives Lin a soft hug, then starts to leave.
Alexander whirls around the dining hall, singing, "The hills are alive.... with the sound of musiiiicccc......!"
Linora waves. "Okay. Sounds good." As Mayala goes, Linora snuggles deeper into the couch... until she hears Alexander singing. Groan.
Mayala jumps as she realizes someone else is in the room. She sneaks past Alexander and tries to slip out the door. Lin is on her own now! She can't deal with the singing types.
Mayala walks ever so softly to the Entry Hall.
Alexander flounces into Linora's couch. "...with songs they have sung... for a thousand years... the hillls fill my heart with the sound of..." Will somebody stop him?
Linora sighs. "Hey, Alex." She doesn't bother to ask what he's singing; she never understands the answers when she asks Alex stuff. "Is it still raining?"
Alexander shakes his head, causing droplets of water to fly everywhere. "Nah. Not anymore," he pauses to reply in prose. Then.. ".. music... My heart wants to sing every song it hears... my heart wants to beat like the wings of the birds..."
The larger of the two browns on Linora's shoulders lifts his little head, eyes whirling redly at the racket. "D'ya hafta sing quite that loud?" She winces a little, partly from the assault on her ears, partly from the pricks of little talons in her shoulder.
Alexander nods. "Of course," he bubbles happily. "And if you give me a gitar, I'll sing louder." Take up the offer or no? He leans back against the couch, resting his head on top of his hands. Ahhh. It's good to be home.
Thankfully, Linora doesn't have a gitar to offer him. And even if she did, she'd deny it. But at least when he's talking, he's not singing, so - dread though she might - she continues the conversation. "So... what's new?" Yeah, it's a lame question, but it's bound to have an interesting answer, knowing Alexander.
Alexander opens his arms wide. "Hey, I'm back," he states obviously. "Didja miss me? Huh?" Shards, the boy's hyper.
"Not really... I didn't know you were gone." So Lin's been a little preoccupied lately. She shifts a little in the couch to make herself more comfortable, the brown firelizard on her shoulder beginning to calm down again.
Alexander sniffles, and closes his arms again. No hug? Poor baby. "Well, I was going to Smith hall, but Kyrae broke her ankle, so I had to take care of her at the Spiderclaw. But a Smith," he makes a face at the thought of the man, "made her a pair of crutches, so I don't have to stay anymore. He didn't like his daughter hitting on me too much though."
Linora giggles, taking another look at Alex. "You got a girlfriend?" Oh, that's funny. She manages to look appropriately solemn, though, at Kyrae's injury, even though the girl's not her favorite person on Pern. "Sounds like you had kindof a fun coupla sevendays. Wish I had time t'hear all about it." She gets to her feet, brushing off her clothes. "But I gotta get back t'the Hall."
Alexander goes home.