| Characters | Ilyse, R'en, Sabrael, Vivka |
| Synopsis | Three girl candidates… bond? Then bother the Weyrleader. |
| Out-of-Character Date | December 21, 2014 |
Igen Weyr - Moonshine Gardens
A large sandstone archway provides a dramatic entrance from the soft fine sands of the lake shore. The room within defined by sandstone brick walls which vary in height, but none low enough to be seen over. Colorful awnings stretch overhead, connected by a series of poles and wires so that they float effortlessly above. They provide shelter from the sun during the day, and a warm comforting feel at night lit by electric lights. Plank flooring is stained a medium cherry hue, giving an odd effect to the open space.
A solid wall at the back leads to a smaller building where the kitchen is located. Colored glass shelves line the wall in irregular intervals, stocked with all fashion of liquor and wine. A massive bar rests in front of the wall, an exquisite piece of skybroom polished and stained to a flawless black finish, accented with two inlaid meandering stripes of pearl and silver. Matching black and silver stools line along the front of the bar. Round tables for four-somes to six-somes are spread about haphazardly with comfortable but also easily replaceable wicker chairs.
Inside the building Sabrael has found herself pressed into service. No drinks for the candidate, but plenty of washing of glasses. More or less because Sabrael didn't speak up for herself to say 'no' to the work. She almost his hidden behind the bar, tiny as she is. A colorful glass is in her hand and she's scrubbing away, staying quiet in her corner, eyes WIDE at the activity in the room.
Wandering into the 'bar' as this place perhaps could be called, Ilyse tilts her head as she looks around seeing if she notices any of her fellow candidates. Seeing none at the moment, she wanders over and slides up to the bar where there is a suddenly familiar form standing behind there. "Oh, hey you." She calls out to Sab, her voice warm and bright. "What're you doin' in here?"
Vivka is certainly not a regular here, but she's been in a time or two to scope out the riders that come and go. Today is one of those days and she must not have any duties right now to keep her busy. Since she's looking for a particular face and neither of her fellow candidates are it, it takes her a few moments to notice that at least one of them is here. If she looks slightly disappointed, it's probably only because whoever she was hoping to see isn't here. Woe. Even disappointed, though, Vivka has a friendly smile for Ilyse as she approaches the bar to join her, only spying Sabrael once she's there. "Hiii," she chirps to them both.
Shy Sabrael has found herself quite in a tight spot. On one hand, she has been told to clean the cups and be quick about it. On the other, she's well aware that really she doesn't need to be. But what is the harm? It's easier to just do what is asked. Illyse gets a smile as Sabrael holds up glasses and rag, an unspoken answer. The smile gets transferred to Vivka as she joins the other candidate, and Sabrael bends her head to finish up the cup. There are only a few more dirty ones at her side so perhaps there is hope of being done soon.
"You look like you're looking for someone." Ilyse looks between herself and Sabrael. "And it's not us." Ilyse pops around the bar and she reaches out to try and take the glass and rag from Sabby's hands. "Sab, your name isn't on the chores list for this, and I'm /preeeety/ sure you don't work here." She looks over and eyeballs one of the more prodigiously top heavy waitresses bouncing around. "Since As cute as you are, I don't think you have the…" She giggles. "Amount of bounce needed."
"Sab," repeats Vivka in an echo of Ilyse, pointing at Sabrael. Then her smiling attention, and her pointing finger, turns on Ilyse so she can say, "Nope!" Still smiling. "I wasn't looking for you. But you're here!" So that works out pretty well anyway, evidently. "What was your name again?" she has to ask. They share barracks, sure, but no one wears nametags and Vivka is proving to be less than fantastic at retaining names.
Ah, slight grabby hands are made for the cup and rag as Ilyse takes them from her. A glance upwards has her finding the bartender who is trying really hard not to laugh at the candidate. A wave of his hand, releases the tiny teen from her service. Shucking an apron donned to keep her clothing clean Sabrael moves out from behind the bar to ghost near the more outgoing girls.
Ilyse all but glares at the man and tosses the rag and slides the glass his way. "Not funny taking advantage of a sweet girl." Ilyse remarks. "She's got enough chores to not have to do the work your bouncing boobs can't do" Ilyse snerks before she looks back to Vivka. "Starts with an I, ends with a Lyse. So Ilyse." She giggles before she moves over to Sab. "You okay, Sabby?" She sounds concerned
"Eye-lyse." Vivka says it a couple more times to herself, glancing toward the one being scolded by said Ilyse with slightly furrowed brows. She must have missed something. Or just not gotten it to begin with. "Wait, wait. So is your name Sab or Sabby?" Let's try not to confused the pretty blonde, folks. It's just easier for everyone that way.
"It's okay Lyse…" Sabrael doesn't totally hide behind the older candidate. But it's not for a lack of trying as she mutters and tries to distract her from her righteous indignation at the owner's high-handedness. "Sabrael, Sab for short."
"It's.. well I guess my nickname for her." Ilyse says to Vivka before she looks behind her to Sabrael and she holds her hand out to the other girl, to provide comfort or support. "It's still /not/ right." She calls out, looking rather angry. "Okay, Okay Sab.." She takes a deep breath. "I'll leave it be."
"Sabrael!" Then, "So you guys know each other already?" is Vivka's next major deduction. Maybe she should be paying more attention the Ilyse's exchange with the bartender, but she seems more interested in the candidates themselves just now and kind of oblivious to the anger.
"I don't mind…" Sabrael breathes a sigh of relief when Ilyse seems to leave it alone for a bit. She reaches upwards and brushes half of her hair behind an ear, shifting nervously from foot to foot. "I… yeah." Let Ilyse give the details of how they met. Sabrael glances around the bar and all of its patrons. It's one thing to be in her corner cleaning glasses and QUITE another to be on this side. Someone might actually try to SPEAK with her here. A half slide of a step so she's more or less completely hidden by the bodies of the other two candidates.
"I don't mind…" Sabrael breathes a sigh of relief when Ilyse seems to leave it alone for a bit. She reaches upwards and brushes half of her hair behind an ear, shifting nervously from foot to foot. "I… yeah." Let Ilyse give the details of how they met. Sabrael glances around the bar and all of its patrons. It's one thing to be in her corner cleaning glasses and QUITE another to be on this side. Someone might actually try to SPEAK with her here. A half slide of a step so she's more or less completely hidden by the bodies of the other two candidates as she reaches out to take Ilyse's hand. She looks more like a little girl skipping school than a candidate at the moment.
"You should though." Ilyse tells Sabrael as she skulks back a bit more before she looks to Vivka. "We met in the candidate's barracks when I got searched. She's a really good painter, too." She squeezes Sab's hand comfortingly. "But she's shy, so.."
R'en isn't seen that often, not really, and most chalk it up to him being busy. He wanders in from outside, shaking a bit of sand out of his hair before getting too far into the establishment. Seems he can't manage to keep it from getting places it shouldn't, even still. He glances at the group of candidates, though doesn't actually pay too much attention to them until he has a glass of brandy in his hand which he grabs quickly at the bar. "Someone's a painter?" He wonders aloud, yep. Total eavesdropper.
"Oh," says Vivka to Ilyse's explanation, biting her lip for a moment while she glances between them. "I thought you must have known each other longer. You seem like it! It's fantastic that you became friends so quickly, though!" The smile that flickers between them is, well, typical for Vivka, but then her attention is drawn to R'en's voice and she smiles at him, too. "Sabrael is!"
Meep? "Really it's… no I'm, I mean, just… for fun." Sabrael grinds her toe against the ground, bashful a bit under the attention of the newest member of the conversation. "To pass the time sir." She squeezes Ilyse's hand once tightly then drops it, squaring her shoulders and stepping out so that R'en can see her. "Um," the move seems to have left her speechless though, and she flicks a glance to the others, a silent 'help?'
Ilyse winces as Vivka's sudden declaration and she glances from her to the prying man only to notice the Weyrleader standing before her. She straightens quickly and salutes with her left hand, her right being currently occupied. "Sir!" She says, her hand suddenly freed "But I'm mostly annoyed that man there." Ilyse points with her now freed hand to the bartender. "He had Sabrael doing dishes, /without/ pay. And not on her chorelist."
"Some people just happen to get really close really fast, others it takes longer." R'en supposes, setting his glass on the table and making it look as though he's going to take residence right there whether they invited him or not. He gives Sabrael a look, and hmms, "Maybe I could see some of your paintings sometime? I have a personal project I've been working on and a little colour might be nice." He admits, and if she thought she was going to get out by looking like a fish out of water - she isn't. Ilyse's comment does draw an arched brow, and then he glances towards the barkeep and back at her. "And why would she do that, knowing it wasn't on her chore list?"
Vivka eyes R'en uncertainly, like he's just said something to her that doesn't make a lot of sense. Even though it does. Or maybe that's why she seems confused, because it's the sort of sense everyone already has. Almost everyone, anyway. Since the bartender is getting called out, Vivka watches him, looking both apologetic and not sure if she should be.
Sabrael's face goes bright red and she looks downwards when the weyrleader inquires after her paintings. Her mouth opens to accept when Illyse makes her comment about the barman and R'en replies. "Oh Lyse…." Sabrael's voice is a quiet hiss, meant just for Ilyse's ears. "It… wasn't anything sir. I didn't say no." More like she couldn't make herself say no. "All in good fun." Hey, at least she manages more than a whisper as she attempts to smooth it over.
"Because she's shy and she doesn't like causing a fuss." Ilyse says. "I"m not like that." She states before she looks to Sab, her face showing apologetic. "I'm sorry Sabrael. I can't let people take advatage of you because you're sweet." She says, stepping back in front of Sab to hide her from both the barman and R'en's gaze.
R'en doesn't seem to care if he's getting eyed uncertainly, but then, he doesn't seem to care about a lot of things. He does look between the three candidates, and then takes a drink from his glass before saying anything else. "She needs to learn to stand up for herself. You can protect her if you like, but if she doesn't learn how to not be taken advantage of - people will." Is he that unsympathetic? He does add, "However, I'm not saying it's right for others to take advantage of her either." Who knows what that means, but for the moment he's is going to enjoy his drink and do whatever he might do with the bartender later.
"You should stand up for yourself. No one can make you do anything you don't want to, Sab." She doesn't mind if Vivka steals Ilyse's nickname for her, right? "I mean, you should probably do your chores and stuff because I don't know if they'd let you be a candidate if you didn't. But other things." Vivka doesn't think to specify what these things are. "Anyway, maybe he just thought you looked bored and wanted something to do." There's always at least two sides of every story.
"It really… I swear… it wasn't…" Sabrael's words sink into indistinct as she attempts to defend herself from the conversation that is happening around her and about her. Quick! Topic Shift! "Um, Rider Al'dru said the eggs were getting really hard." There, that's so much better then talking about if Sabrael ought to stand up for herself a little more. How successful the topic change is? Doubtful, as Sabrael more or less whispered the words. Ilyse might hear though!
"Oh, the eggs are getting hard?" Ilyse asks as she turns towards Sabrael and she nods. "I can imagine. This weyr is hot all over, so I can imagine how quick the sands would make them hard." She bites her bottom lip nervously, thinking about her past. "Oh, who searched you both?"
"Of course, chores must be done." R'en is quick to agree, though falls silent for a while as the girls talk about the eggs, and he glances around the bar to see if there's other people he knows wandering around. But, there really aren't. "The eggs are hard enough to be touched, but not quite there for being hatched yet. Sindrieth thinks it'll be a little longer before they're ready. This is his.. third? clutch.." He muses as he takes another drink from his glass to finish it off and wave a server down to get a refill.
Maybe deciding not to press Sabrael further, Vivka falls silent for now. At least about that. There's some minor fidgeting now that her mouth isn't moving so much, but she manages a quick, smiling and sets to making up for her brief silence, "P'rry? I think that's his name. He was really nice to me, but he wouldn't Search the boy I was with. It seems like everyone should have a chance if they want it, you know? He seemed to want it." Then to R'en, to keep this verbal snowball rolling, "Does he like having little baby dragons?"
"Greenrider Ch'var." Sabrael goes slightly limp with relief when the others take up her change of topic. It's one she is more comfortable with at the very least. She edges out from behind Ilyse, bringing herself more back into the group. "They seem really excited to be out of the shell sir." At R'en's wave a server comes over- one of those rather buxom women that Ilyse had alluded to before. Her smile to the weyrleader is bold, and rather than serve and leave, she sets her arms on the bar and joins right in the conversation. "Got a nice little bunch there Weyrleader. Though that one," she points to Sabrael, "Hardly seems old enough. Those riders of yours cradle robing again?" The smile and wink make her words into a joke for the Weyrleader to join into, rather than a serious accusation.
"Janja fetched me, I don't … I think it was just because I stood at Xanadu before." Ilyse says before she looks towards the buxom bar lass. "Some of us look older than we are, and some of us look younger." Ilyse's had a hard life, no one would expect her to be barely in her mid teens. She looks back to Sab. "You okay still? Want something to drink?" D'aww.
"Oh shards, yes. Sindrieth always keeps an eye on his children, poor weyrlings." R'en says with a light shrug, whatever that means, but some of them may yet find out. He listens to the conversations about the searchings, but his attention is drawn away a bit when his glass returns with a buxom waitress attached to it. Reaching for the glass, he looks between he gathered candidates and shrugs his shoulders. "They're all too young if you ask me. I think I was older than the lot of them when I stood. Were any of you crafters?" He wonders.
Vivka listens to the other girls curiously, but she'll probably remember these stories about as well as she remembers anything else. "Oh, no. I wasn't a crafter, but it seems like it would be nice to be one if I had the chance." Sort of like it might be nice to be a rider if she has the chance, which is basically why she's here. "I think I need to go eat something, though. I must have forgotten earlier and now I can't think about anything but food." Her smile is just a little bit self deprecating as she slips away to head back outside.
