Eastern Weyr - Commons Cavern
A grand stairway leads downward into the cool rock of the commons cavern, a place for socializing and relaxing, as well as an area that provides solid shelter from the seasonal storms of this area. One of the few caverns at Eastern Weyr, the rock here has been worn away by centuries worth of water movement, leaving a nearly glass smooth polish over much of the room. Rocky shelves line the walls on which electric lights covered with paper lanterns rest, providing adequate illumination for the area. High above are further light fixtures, enabling a wide range of lighting options here. A natural pool occupies half of the far end of the cavern and is supplied with heated water piped in by an ingenious techcrafter. All about the room are balconies of rock with stairs leading to them and small dumbwaiters for the purpose of delivering food and drink to their heights.
It's just after lunchtime in Eastern, but the tables seem curiously empty. Given the very spicy smells coming from the kitchen and the meal's offerings on the table, well, it's no surprise. Especially not when Kayla comes out in nondescript brown tunic, pants, and plain leather shoes—and a flour-covered apron, her hair pinned up tightly at the back of her head. She calls back into the kitchen, "Oh come on, it wasn't -that- bad was it? Fardles… look, I'm sorry about the other day, but give me a break here, I'm sharding -trying-, at least!" A deep sigh, and her shoulders slump, the young woman hanging her head and shuffling to the tables to remove some of the uneaten meals. Even her flits seem to avoid the things she's cooked.
Fiona pushes her bowl of stew away from her with a disgusted snort, then sighs when she sees Kayla and her position. After a moment's consideration, she makes a vague motion, "Kayla. Sit with me a minute?" She hasn't eaten her food, but at least she's not screaming about the quality?
Kayla flinches when she hears Fiona, or perhaps more like cringes. She opens her mouth as if to reply but thinks better of it and refrains. Without a word, she joins her sister at her table, hanging her head and waiting for the verbal lashing sure to come.
Fiona's expression is hard at first, then she softens and reaches to wrap an arm over Kayla's shoulders, "Two things. Salt, not sugar in the stews. And… how are you holding up? It looks like they're working you pretty hard, sis." Fi even spares a dark look for the kitchen door.
Kayla shakes her head, finally speaking up. "They're not the ones working me hard, sis. I'm doing that well enough myself. It's my fault that the Weyr's without their best cook, so it's up to me to set things right." Her lips press together in a grim sort of setting, and she sighs lightly. "I'm not running this time. That's over."
Tarrin makes his ways slowly into the common caverns and glances slowly about, his head coming up to sniff the air as the spicy scent is detected. The baker seems to have forgeted his sling today, opting to just wak along this his casted forarm hanging at this side.
Tequoia makes her way into the caverns, she's been working hard and she's hungry. As she enters though she stops and just blinks as she looks around. "What's that smell?" she asks and then makes her way over to the food tables. She looks and looks and looks. Finally she grabs a couple of redfruits out of a bowl. Hmm.
Fiona gives Kayla's shoulders a tight squeeze, "I"m glad to hear that. You're… well, you're my sister, Kay. I'd miss you if you ran. You'll get better with practice, and it's not like it's entirely your fault. L'im helped." She glances up at Tarrin, then over at Teq, giving the girl a little wave. The smell? It's nothing. Nothing. At. All.
Tarrin tilts his head to the side and mutters sometihng about "To much curry…" and shakes his head, "oh well." he spots Fiona wave and Kayla sitting next to her and turns to walk over towards the pair. If one was looking they might notice, dark marks across the back of the bakers cast, is that a burn mark? "How are the two of you today?
Kayla shakes her head. "No… she didn't start it. I did. All she did was make a remark about how easily I blush, and I upended my rice over her head." She reaches out to touch her sister's hand briefly, smiling a little bit. "You're just trying to protect me, but this time… don't. It's my foul up, not yours."
Tequoia wonders over towards the tables, but she eyes Kayla warily as she sidles over to the other side of Fiona and bites into the fruit with a crunch. She doesn't say anything at the moment and she just listens. Though she does glance over curiously at Tarrin's cast. Hmm.
Fiona shakes her head right back, "I'm not trying to protect you, I'm trying to raise your spirits before I send you back to the lion's oven." She glances up at Tarrin, "Well enough, Tarrin." She glances back at Kayla with a pensive look, "She was making fun of your blushing?"
Kayla squirms and goes oddly silent at that. "So what if she was?" As if her blush wasn't deepening enough, it gets even worse when Tarrin makes his way over to join the pair. "Ummm… hi there. Sorry about the curry, I really -was- trying to not use so much!"
Tarrin chuckles and says, "No Worries Kayla." he smiles to Fiona as well, as Tequoia, "I will see what can be done to salvage things, dinner might be a might spicy tonight but eddiable.." glancing back to Kayla, he says, "If you are going to be working in the kitchen for a while though I might want to give you some lessons…"
Tequoia wrinkles her nose a little at the thought of dinner. Can we go out to eat? She leans over to Fio though and whispers softly "I told you." she looks back over at Kayla and watches the blush.
Fiona gives Teq a poke in the ribs even as she squeezes Kayla around the shoulders again, "There's nothing wrong with showing emotion, Kay, you know that. You probably over-reacted, but L'im can be a bit… forward. And this stew is better than the last batch. Just give it time."
Kayla offers a grateful smile to Tarrin. "Thanks, I could use the lessonsand I think the Weyr will thank you. I just… never really stuck around in one place long enough to bother learning to cook, not before here. Ummm… maybe a little later? Your place, where the Weyr at large won't be subjected to my mistakes?" Fiona gets a roll of the eyes andis that a laugh? "Probably the same prankster switched the sugar and salt in the kitchen who 'weeded the toilets the other day." Tequoia, well, that's another matter. The look she gives the weyrbrat is a curious one, with her eyebrow lofted in silent query.
Tarrin nods and smiles, "Tis my job keep the kitchens runnin, and I think I can just manage to get a tray or two out of the ovens with this thing on." he nods towards his cast. yupe those are diffently burn marks on it.
Tequoia mmphs a little at the poke and sits back down and keeps her mouth shut while she gently rubs the spot that was poked. She does snort a bit as a brat gets blamed yet again. She starts to say something and then just shuts her mouth again.
Fiona gives Tarrin a slight nod, "See, sis, you'll do fine and maybe a few turns later than most you'll find a craft you like." If she doesn't poison the Weyr, first, anyway, "And you, Teq, how are you doing?" She just doesn't comment on Tarrin's burned cast. Like she's the sort to send someone to the healers.
Kayla nods. "Maybe you're right. At least if it doesn't become my craft, I'll learn not to burn water." Her other eyebrow goes up as she peers over at Tarrin's cast, frowning. "I thought the Healers told you to take it easy?"
Tarrin grins sheepishly at kayla and says, "I am not one that can just sit around…so I started cookin something." as he moves to take a seat with everyone, "And well i needed to get it out of the overe. Couldn't feel the heat throught the cast, worked great even if it did scorch the cast a bit."
Tequoia shrugs a bit "Good." she remarks between munches on the redfruit. "Been talkin' to Ur'yu." she notes "Got some good advice." she note and smiles and then she blinks at Tarrin "Yer not supposed to cook yerself." she sates and then licks her fingers a bit as she finishes the juicy fruit.
Fiona gives that redfruit a longing sort of look and her stomach gives a little rumble, "Well, I wish you luck, sis. If only for the sake of my stomach." She gives Kayla playful nudge and finally retracts her hugging arm. "So, if the food tastes like cast it's your fault, then, Tarrin?" Teq's words draw an arched brow, "Reeaally? What advice would you be getting from Ur'yu?"
Kayla glances back at the kitchen, and grumbles lightly. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, sis. I'm going to need it." The exchange between Tequoia and her sister is noted with a slight chuckle, but otherwise left alone as she gets up from the table, clearing away any uneaten portions of lunch with her. "Tarrin, I'll see you later, then?"
Tequoia says "Oh, life, love, pursuit of happiness." says cheerfully and then she makes a face at the thought of eating cast. Bleh. "MAybe I should see if we're going up to Xanadu tonight or not." she mumbles under breath."
"Oh, life, love, pursuit of happiness." says cheerfully and then she makes a face at the thought of eating cast. Bleh. "MAybe I should see if we're going up to Xanadu tonight or not." she mumbles under breath.
Fiona gives Teq a /look/, "Oh /really/. Do I need to be worried about you and your machinations?" By the time she looks back at Kayla, though, she's actually grinning a bit, "Sis, there ain't nothing you put your mind to you haven't managed. You'll figure it out."
Kayla scurries off back to the kitchens, making herself quite scarce and applying herself to being as useful in the kitchen as is allowed. Though given some of the groans from those she passes by, that is up for debate….
Tequoia laughs "Oh, we didn't talk about you or Ur'con' she notes "Nah, was talking about Me and Shi, and him and Danny and all." she smiles brightly. She watches as Kayla heads back towards the kitchens and then she frowns a little "I wonder if Simion has anything stashed at his place."
Fiona slides out after Kayla and goes to liberate some fruit for herself, "Suuure you didn't." She gives the stew another jaundiced look as she takes a bite from her apple, "I think I might ask Ur'con to take me to Ierne on my next restday for the sake of my poor stomach."
Tequoia blinks a little and then hmmphs "We didn't." she states again. "We had other things to talk about." she rolls her eyes and grumps as she crosses her arms across her chest and slumps in her chair.
Fiona reaches over and gives Teq's shoulder a squeeze, "Are you still spazzing about you and Shi?"
Tequoia sputters a little. Spazz? Spazz?! "I do not spazz!" she pipes up and looks over her shoulder at Fio. Okay, maybe she has, but that is entirely besides the point. "And now, I'm not." she smiles "Ur'yu gave me some very good advice there too though." Yup.
Fiona hides her smile in another bite of redfruit, "of course not. What advice did he give you?" Is Fi fishing for romantic advice? Of /course/ not.
Tequoia grins "Oh, to basically grab it by the horns and take charge. Don't let anything stand in your way and do what you want." Okay, so that may have gotten a bit skewed. But the general idea is in there. Somewhere.
Fiona cocks her head to the side, "But… Shilan doesn't have any horns…."
Tequoia flaps her hand a little "No, not real horns. What you want. What you want to do. Just take it and charge ahead. Don't let anything or anyone stand in the way!"
Fiona looks no less confused at the explanation and she takes a moment to chew through a tasty bite of redfruit, "So… you're going to grab Shi by his non-existent horns and force him to do what you want?"
Tequoia just looks at Fiona "Noo…" she states "I just ain't gonna let anyone else get in my way of Shi." she states "Besides. He's going to be taking me to meet his parents and Ur'yu says that's pretty much a sure bet that he ain't got his eyes on anyone else. I'm not letting Seeley or Eobella or anyone else come between be and mine."
Fiona chuckles easily, "Has my niece been making eyes at your man, Teq?"
Tequoia eyes Fiona warily "Not in a while. And if so, it's my problem to handle." she notes quietly "You don't need to say anything to her."
Fiona reaches out to tousle the weaver's hair, "Wouldn't dream of it. I hardly know the girl. I'm just getting my facts straight. And I agree with Ur'yu, if you're meeting his folks you should be home free."
Tequoia lets out a breath and then rolls her eyes at the hair ruffling. "Fi." She squeaks as she shakes her head a little "I'm not a little girl anymore." She says with some embarrassment.
Fiona considers Teq for a moment, then sighs, "No, I suppose you're not. You're growing up faster than I can follow."
Tequoia tilts her head a little "Is it really such a bad thing?" she asks quietly
Fiona raises her hand as if to reach to ruffle her hair, then retracts it, "No… just a change for me, that's all."
Tequoia smiles just a little and then grins brighter "Well, just think I'll be able to be making all my own fabrics and dying them to order."
Fiona nods a couple of times, "Well, that's good. Every next step on your path is a good one."