Wilting Harpers

Characters Neyuni, Tivaly
Synopsis It's a scorcher when Tivaly arrives at Igen and meets Weyrwoman Neyuni.
Out-of-Character Date September 16, 2014

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Igen Weyr - Living Caverns
Second only to the Hatching Sands in size -- although its walls are not so nearly circular -- the living cavern is filled with numerous rectangular tables, almost too many to count. The Weyrleaders have the table farthest from the kitchen and hearths at one end of the cavern. The hearths are kept as low-burning as possible during the day when folk come inside to escape the heat outside. They burn brighter at night to keep away the deserts chill. No matter hte level of flame, there is always a stew pot that hangs for nibblers at a good temperature. Favored drinks, particularly iced klah and juice, are kept on ice and interspersed at various food tables scattered about, along with baskets of rolls and fruit. There are, of course, scheduled mealtimes, and at certain points of the day the available fare slides into the menu for the nearest meal, be it breakfast, lunch, dinner, or late-night snackings, but the staff has long since acknowledged that people will sit to talk and nibble here at all hours. In the cooler parts of the evening in particular, the cavern hosts games of chess, checkers, dragonpoker, and others. Several degrees are knocked off thanks to the Technician Craft's cooling system.


Neyuni is amidst the caverns, lounging inside away from the heat of the day. It's siesta time and most of the weyr is either snoozing, or leisuring themselves in non-heat inducing activities. Well except for the one noisy green out in the bowl who decided now was the *perfect* time to fly. The cry's of the dragons drift in as challenges and calls echo now and again. Shifting one foot from beaneath the other is about all the effort Yuni is willing to spend as she looks over some rather yellowed old-fashioned scroll.

This morning, a handful of sweating Harpers arrived at Igen Weyr, looking very out of sorts. Their blue knots wilted almost immediately in the heat, and they all seemed like they were on the verge of melting - and that was before the afternoon heat really settled in full force. Since then, the trio has dispersed to try to get their bearings, unpacking their possessions and getting the lay of the land, so that Tivaly emerges into the living cavern on her own, bearing a paper fan, an old-looking book, and a sheen of perspiration that probably won't be leaving her any time soon. Pale eyes flit across the lounging woman, out toward where the sounds are coming in from the bowl, and then back to the former. "I think you have the right idea."

Neyuni sniffs and turns the page upside down, squinting at it a moment before she hears another speak. Gaze shifts from one to another, taking in the clearly unadapted stranger. "Indeed. Come sit down and relax. The mid-day is nothing to sniff at around here. Here, sit below one of the vents" she indiacates a seat nearby which is well positioned for a bti of extra coolign from the techcraft cooling system "You look like you could use a rest. I'm Neyuni." she catches a hint of the wilted blue and looks a bti thoughtful. Now, there was somethign she's supposed to remember perhaps?

Plucking at the front of her dress a little, trying to let some of that cooler air in under her collar, Tivaly answers with a brittle laugh, "I look like I could use a relocation. Alas." She shakes her head, well aware that's not in her immediate future, and she takes the opportunity to sit under that extra puff of air instead, her lips forming a soundless 'o' at the addition of the woman's name. "Hello, Neyuni. Apparently, I'm impertinent, today." Her smile turns rueful at that, nose wrinkling at her own lack of formality (way to get things started, huh?), and she sets aside her book and her fan to supply a more formal, "I'm Tivaly, bringing you Harper Hall's duties, Weyrwoman."

Neyuni isn't exactly the picture of formality herself. Feet are still propped up tho the old scroll has been set down in favor of just relaxing back in her seat and enjoy a bit of conversation. She probably should do something more appropriate but at the moment she doesn't seem to manage much "Welcome Tivaly. I hope Igen won't be an undue burden to you. We quite appreciate the Harper's sending us knowledgeable folks. I certainly can't make much of this, though i'm told its a 'window into the eye of the past' or soemthing" a hand waves not dismissively but more like she doesn't quite get it yet. "I think you'll find we're a little more relaxed about things here. Time has its own pace." which you may or may not come to understand at some point. "How was your travel here. I can't remember if you were to get the shortcut or the long route?"

Tivaly probably takes comfort from the woman's relaxed demeanor, given that the girl still carries a little extra color in her cheeks for being so informal right out of the chute. She plows on ahead conversationally, though, assuring, "Igen itself is no burden, madam. It's only the heat, and they tell me," with a small purse of her lips that conveys the measure of her doubt for this tidbit, "that I'll get used to it in a few weeks." Her eyes hold on the scroll briefly, curiosity alight but pushed aside to return to Neyuni while she answers, "We came adragonback. As though to specifically highlight the difference in temperature, that horrible empty cold into this searing bright heat. I don't know how you dragonriders stand it."

Neyuni can't quite hold back a soft chuckle. "As you say, we just get used to it and perhaps we don't do it as often as well. Some get lazy in using between as a shurtcut even say between the bowl floor and their ledge but here we enjoy flights short, and long." she nods a bit towards the scroll "Feel free to take it whenever you go, saves me the trip really. I suppose I shouldn't be disturbing anything just yet but that one caught my eye. Seems to be a drawing but I can't quite figure the up or the down. If they meant it he wind worn west wall, or some cave hidden about. Of course it doesn't exactly match anymore as far as I can tell, but it was interesting. Someone would take the time to add, or maybe hide that in the cavern with the others. Who knows, maybe its really a treasure map." she jests, although you could swear several ears of those lounging about turn in at the mention.

The doubtful, no-thank-you face that Tivaly makes of the mere idea of using between for such frivolous transportation sums up how she feels about that prospect. As for the hides… "Journeyman Maelis may wish he could read you the riot act about disturbing the sanctity of the past," and she can't keep her eyes from rolling at the pompous notions, "but therein must be the benefits of your knot, hmm? He may want to, but he's in no position to actually do so." A fact that, judging by the way it turns up the corners of Tivaly's mouth, pleases her no end. As does the piqued interest in treasure maps, to which she adds, "If it is, I suppose rite of salvage would give its contents to whomever unearthed it."

Neyuni smirks "I suppose rank does have a /few/ perks to it, although our head cook doesn't seem to hold her tongue so much" so apparently there are exceptions, and as to the matter of rites "I'm not sure I've not considered such matters in a long time, and there isn't much to find besides sand, rock and heat around here. All our treasure is in plain sight, for those who choose to see it. Even the caves farther out hav been well picked over. Get a rider to take you out there sometime if you like exploring that kind of thing. Although then again this trove we've just discovered speaks that some things may yet be hidden within these walls." enough of a teaser.

Putting her hand over her mouth so it's that much harder to hear, Tivaly says for Neyuni's ears alone, "Provided your idea of treasure is dusty and half-illegible hides…" But far be it for one apprentice to dash the hopes of all those whose ears are perked to this conversation, so she shares her true thoughts conscientiously. Sitting under the air has done wonders for her already, and she looks less like she may dissolve at any second, though the idea of doing more than sitting with her hands folded might yet tip her over the melty edge. "No interest in delving into the hidden treasures of your Weyr then, madam? If it does turn out to be a map, that is," she adds, nodding to the mystery hide.

Neyuni nods sagely at the private sharing, as if of greatest importance and then speaking a little louder "Indeed, more of such priceless items might yet be found," and a bit quieter conspiratory whisper "or at least the stores would get a bit of cleaning". shifting some the latter question is not quickly answered "I suppose my perspective is over a longer span. I feel I have much yet to discover, and I'm glad it will be here. I'll see what Igen has in store for me. Besides this could even be a childs scrap. Maybe it's supposed to be the long ago senior. You know how creative young minds can be." or maybe not, that might be assuming to much "Have you children?"

Tivaly manages to subdue her grin at that - about the stores - though her eyes do shine a touch too brightly, if anyone was near enough to notice. Thankfully, they seem to have the immediate vicinity to themselves, and, after a quick clear of her throat, the Harper is all smoothed out again. Though the question about children takes her off-guard, evidenced by the quick blink-blink she gives Neyuni, eyes widening beneath raised brows. "No," she says after a moment, managing to get it out quite smoothly, considering. "No, I haven't any children. I do, however, have a fierce desire for a bath and something cold to drink, now that I'm not utterly overheated. Will you excuse me?"

Neyuni waves "Of course, of course. go freshen up and explore yourself. each Weyr's slightly different in its layout." she leans back and lets her eyes close as you move off.

Tivaly takes her book and her fan and a desire to tidy herself up, departing with a genuine, "Thank you. It was nice to meet you." Not just, like, formally obligated to say it, either. Off she goes.

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