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Harper's Tale - Thursday, February 21, 2002,
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Archive Vault
A cool dry chamber kept sealed when not being used for research, the shelves are full of volumes of every description and subject. Birth and death records, songs, even kitchen recipies from the last Pass can be found catalogued and stored here. A few sturdy worktables allow for students and masters to spread out their projects in comfort.
The scent of old books and a little bit of must pervades the room, tickling your nose with antiquity.
Obvious exits:
Main Hall and Ballroom

D'baji gambols in from the Main Hall and Ballroom.

Liesana is at her command post at one of the worktables, stacks of hides surrounding her, and a quiet flurry of orders being given to a coterie of scurrying apprentices, the journeywoman clearly in her Legist-trained element. "Get me records on smuggling trials going back ten Turns, from all the major Holds. Ah... actually, take Bitra out of that list... that's a normal occurance for them." she decrees to one apprentice girl, who quickly scuttles away before more work can be added. With a headshake and a dry grin, Liesana glances around to see who her next victim might be. D'baji might do... if he weren't rather unmistakeably not a a Harper. "G'day to you, Rider. Help you with something?"

D'baji
Molten red hair has finally managed to frame a rectangular face, stopping just mid-neck in its newfound style. It feathers out, having saved forever the path of fingers so often passed through it, what with its newfound texture. A few centimeters below the hairline, eyebrows of the same colour as the mane can be found, hanging protectively over deep, leafy green eyes. The left eyelid and eyebrow hold a scar running vertically down to the left of the defined cheekbones, the pupil of the same eye somewhat oblong from the same incident that caused the disfiguration. A somewhat angular nose,a ccented by unwanted freckles, finds it's place in the center of his face. Lean musculature dropped over his 6'2 frame suggests the physical labour involved in dragon-keeping. Finally, when exposed, his legs carry a blue-ish tinge, the hair on the limbs dyed a neat cerulean.
D'baji's wearing a whole lot of nothing, currently. Unless you count that chest hair... But hopefully the nothingness'll change into somethingness soon, or the Weyr'll have some new things to oggle... Sitting, with an arrogant air, on D'baji's shoulder is Ribot.
A double cord in Ista Weyr's orange and black finds itself twisted meticulously to form a single loop, with a silver threaded tail hanging off it. Proudly woven around the looping threads is a light bronze ribbon. All in all, the knot shows D'baji to be a Wingrider at Ista Weyr, Impressed to bronze Nverath.
He is awake, but has been staring off into space for 2 minutes.
Carrying:
Ribot
D'baji is 23 Turns, 3 months, and 3 days old.
D'baji has no apparent threadscoring.

You notice D'baji gazing upon your form.

D'baji is, despite his somewhat confident, bordering on arrogant posture, not entirely sure he's supposed to be here. People are eyed, in that smug way he's mastered since so many people have started oggling over he and his lifemate, and the greeting from the journeywoman is responded to with a bit of a grin, and bow of his head. "Yes, actually, if you'd please... Y'see, I'm lookin' for a collection of songs... Sort of out-of-the-ordinary, if at all possible, or maybe even stuff that's written for instrumentals only, if that's at all possible? For harp, I mean. There needs to be music that can be played on a harp. And I think the range of voice would be a touch higher, to, what is that... Soprano or somethin'?" Knowledgeable, isn't he?

Liesana nods, and ignores the posture, beckoning the bronzer over with a casual wave. "In that case, stop standing in the middle of the aisle like a new apprentice, and take a seat." she grins. One of the benches beside her is patted by way of invitation. "And you've come to the right place... Vynrist...!" she summons with a deceptively sweet trill, the apprentice lad groaning and making his way over. "Go the the Fort Hall records and get me a copy of the Hanrydellan Variations, if you please. And a few of Viladric's 'Duets'." She turns back to D'baji, with a twinkle in her eye. "Minions can be such fun," she winks. "But yes, soprano is the highest range of female voice. I'm one myself. But who's the present for, may I ask? Since." The twinkle returns. "You don't look much lke a soprano, yourself."

D'baji coughs, posture all but vanishing in the blink of an eye as ears redden in a blush, and he shuffles his way to the indicated bench, seating himself with just a hint of a flop. "Good, then. I'd feel terribly ill at ease if I'd gone to the wrong place." The minion is given one of his more sympathetic half-grins, the names requested frowned at as he mouths them, just to see how very hard they are to say, as well as hear. "True. It's like Nverath and his firelizards, almost," bronzerider agrees for the minion comment, and then clears his throat and blushes a bit again. "No, I'm... Well... Not like, super low, but not super high, and... Not baritone. Above that." As baritone and soprano are the only other terms he knows. "It's for Kristi." And with the realization that this could mean absolute fish guts to the journeywoman, he adds, "She used to be a Harper, y'see, and she came to the Weyr with us, an' she's got her harp there, an' I know she likes to sing, so I was thinkin' maybe I'd... Y'know. Get her somethin'."

"Kristi? Kristiana...?" Hazards Liesana with an interested look, which rapidly shifts to a sunny grin. "Of course I know Kri! We were apprentices together!" she fairly beams. "How's she doing? So she still plays her harp? Never knew why she left, she was always better at it than I... I haven't seen her in /months/." And then with a slightly sheepish smile, she backs off, and lets the battery of questions sink in, quashing a snigger from the returning Vynrist with one of her I'll Get You Later smirks.

D'baji manages to restrain a yelp, nodding, and despite the fact that he's now leaning nicely /away/ from the Harper, eyes positively shining. "Yeah, Kristiana. You know her! Wonderful... Y'think those pieces you sent him for'll be good?" The word 'him' accented with a thumb-jab in this Vynrist's general direction. "I think she's all right. I mean, there's been a bit of confusion an' that with the whole weyrmatin' ideas, but I think all in all she's doin' okay. I met her at SeaCliffs, yeah, an' she'd play her harp on the beach, and she still does play it, I'm sure..." And here the rider will positively beam, and go back to a straight position on the bench. "But yeah. Kristiana." And now he'll turn his attention expectantly towards the apprentice.

Liesana takes the hides from Vynrist, looks them over, nods, and with an evilly sweet smile notes. "Excellent. As your reward, you can make copies of all of them for me, and take the afternoon off after that." Beam. A nod for D'baji. "I'm sure she will. Very pretty, and with just enough technical challenge and variation to make them fun to play. And the 'Duets' are just delightful... Weyrmating?" Insert politely puzzled look. "What weyrmating? Want to back up just a little there...?" She waits for a name, looking sheepish again. "I'm Liesana, by the way."

D'baji shudders on behalf of this poor apprentice, attempting not to feel to bad on the boy's behalf. "Good, good, y'know, if they're a challenge and pretty soundin' and that... And of course, if you knew her, I'm sure you'll know all about what type of stuff she likes to play. Right?" And here's his brief moment of doubt during which his eyebrows twitch. "Weyrmating. As in, her coming to live at the Weyr." Sharp like a pile of mud, this boy. "And wonderful to meet you Liesana. D'baji. Nverath's rider."

Kronic walks in from the Main Hall and Ballroom.

You notice Kronic gazing upon your form.

Kronic
A man of average hieght with a big build and broad shoulders. His face is unshaven and very rugged looking. He has a scar on the right side of his face that starts under his eye and runs about an inch down his cheek. The scar has faded considerably over the years but is still very noticable. He has dark brown hair about two inches long on all sides and deep brown eyes that look rather cold and barren. He has big hands that are rough from much hard work. He has a hansom brown tan to his skin that makes him very attractive. he seems distant and unapproachable
a dull green tunic with a brown leather pants and warm looking boots.
He is awake and looks alert.
Kronic is 18 Turns, 5 months, and 20 days old.

Kronic says, "hello liesana"

"Well met, D'baji," intones Liesana formally, although with a twinkle in her eyes, returning to idly glancing over her trial records now that Vynrist is settled with muttered imprecations about high-handed journeywomen. "And... I know what a weyrmating entails." she offers dryly. "But I'm confused as to how you and Kri ended up involved in one, or discussin one, or whatever. Since this is the first time I've heard of you..." She trails off to give the latest arrival a puzzled stare. "Hello yourself... How do you know my name?"

Kronic has disconnected.
Kronic falls asleep.

"Ah, I see... Sorry, didn't mean to imply that you didn't." Not only is D'baji sharp like a pile of mud, but as tactful as oen too. "Oh, well... I mean... Y'see, at SeaCliffs, we were sorta... Gettin' to know each other, an' that, and I'd sketched her, an' she'd buy me drinks, and we sorta got together." It's 'how red can we turn a bronzerider' day. He's gettin' close to having his face match his hair, currently. "And then I was Searched, and she visited me then over candidacy, and then I Impressed, and once we actually could see people of Weyrlinghood she came, and then I asked her to come to the Weyr and she did? And a pity you've never heard about me. Here I am, though?"

Liesana twinkles. "No offense taken," she assures, before resting her chin on one hand, and tilting her head to listen. "Well, congratulations on that, then. She was always one of the more elusive apprentices in that regard. Me too, I guess. But I'm happy for you. How are things working out?" she inquires. "I know my cousin T'rell weyrmated with one of the Harper masters, and they've had their share of ups and downs." Her relationship to the weyrleader is skipped over casually, in the interests of keeping the bronzer from bursting an artery or something.

D'baji sparkles right back at her. "Thank you for your congratulations, then. Things are... all right. I mean, there's the occasional... Shall we say, clash of values. But y'know, we're workin' through that fairly well." And here he'll pause to chew at his lip. And the comment of T'rell, well, that's not gonna draw too much attention. Y'see, you need a respect for authority for that, and if Nverath's not in the same room as Baji, there's an astounding lack of that respect. "But it's great havin' her there, really. Nverath absolutely adores her. Like, he sings, right, and he's even got this little tune dedicated to her, whenever he sees her, it's his greeting..." Dreamy-look for the bronzen Companion.

A lack of respect for authority... How refreshing. Liesana'd taken to not mentioning her family much at all, as of late. "Well, I wish you continued luck on sorting things through. My feminine advice would be that, it doesn't matter so much who you end up having to sleep with, with flights and all, so long as it's clear to her that your heart is hers." A glance at the busily working Vynrist prompts a smile. "/That/ is a very good start, I might add."

Ooh. The Liesana knows things, it'd seem, And D'baji's found someone he can almost sort of agree with, nodding rather emphatically. "See, that's what I said. I mean, y'know, that I only felt for her and all that... Anyway," upon the realization that he's met his confidante here, what, five, ten minutes ago? "Oh, yeah... Hey, thanks for dion' this for me, by the way. The music and that, I mean, it's really rather lovely of you." That's to either Vynrist or Liesana, he's not sure which.

Liesana has been known to dispense advice on life and living to complete strangers. A trait no doubt aquired from her aunt-and-adopted-mother out in Keroon country. She gives Baji a nod, whether in thanks or in agreement is anyone's guess. "Well, I'll quote to you the old saying that actions mean more than words... Especially to us females. You /guys/ tend to say what you mean, most of the time, but girls..." A laugh. "Saying one thing and meaning another is par for the course. So if she distrusts you, don't take it personally. It's just a 'chick thing'."

D'baji frowns, that old quoted saying prompting a rather hasty clearing of his throat. "Right then. Well. I don't know if it's /just/ a 'chick thing' I mean, hearin' her side of it, maybe I do sorta deserve any of that. But y'know. Knowin' how the other feels is always important..." Even if it took Kristi a day of alcohol and an awful lot of anger towards the bronzerider to get it out... "And then once you are aware, it makes things loads easier. One of these 'Well, she doesn't want me to do this, it hurts her, so I don't do it' sort of things." Although, he will allow, "Or maybe part of it is a 'chick thing.' It just sounds so... Un-Kristi, is all. But then again, I've hardly known her as long as you." He may be weyrmated to the woman, but that's really not the point.

Liesana shakes her head with a slightly teasing smile. "A man who genuinely wants to why his weyrmate is acting the way she does... Pity you and I are both taken." she grins. "And I'm not saying Kri being angry is the 'chick thing'. Although I don't know the situation, so I can't say, maybe it is. I'm saying that don't be surprised if she doesn't trust just words alone. Combine them with actions, if you really want to make things up to her. And..." A slightly puckish look. "If all else fails, you can always grovel." She glances over at Vynrist, who seems to be paying more attention to eavesdropping than copying. "Like a certain apprentice will have to do, if I find he's been telling tales..." she notes, with a touch more volume.

D'baji bats his eyelashes to the journeywoman. "I'm sure it is... Yup, y'know, if there was no Kristiana, and there was no... Whoever it is you're with, I'm sure Nverath wouldn't object to us haulin' you right on back to the weyr. But there is. Both of 'em. So yeah." Nothing like elaboratin' on something someone else has said. It's what Debas do best! (Woohooohoohoo?) "Well, really, I'm workin' with the actions too, really I am. But it's harder when lack of action is the only action you can take." And he points towards the copyings of Vynrist. "And those are something of a grovel as well... I mean, I'd been thinking about it before, but y'know, if she likes 'em, couldn't have come at a better time?"

"Ahhh, the possibilities..." mock-sighs Liesana with an impish wink. "If you want to hear about /my/ significant other, I'm sure Kri can provide you with most of the pertinent details, once you two get back on level footing again." She tips back on her chair, and rests her boots on the edge of the worktable with a most un-journeymanlike air. "And music is a fine start at grovelling. So are flowers, candies, and surprise trips to secluded beaches. There's this one great little spot in Southern..." she allows. "Also, erm, ah... How to put this...? Yeah. Well, here goes. This tip's actually from family, not my own experiance, but... Try hiding in your weyr, next flight. With her. Or hell, you could be doing that already, /I/ don't know."

D'baji nods, raising an eyebrow just a touch suggestively. "I'll be sure to ask her all about it, then. I mean, it's not like we aren't talkin' or anything... But we've always been able to talk. The trouble is stopping." And here the rider will give a bit of a laugh, and peek over towards Vynrist in an attempt to check the process. "Right, flowers... Oh, and Ista can get some really nice flowers, too. Although not so much this season, but there are still some... And candies? I suppose... You're just a vat of information, y'know that?" Grateful beam sent to her here before he grimaces somewhat. "And yeah, I do intend to do that, y'know... When we're at Ista an' all... S'okay, though, Nverath's not really properly caught yet, and he's all sure he's gonna find himself a pretty little dragon before he starts catchin' on a regular basis..." Ooh, and the truth comes out.

Liesana twinkles. "I've had an inclination towards meddling in matters of the heart long befor I ever joined Harper." she notes dryly. "I've managed to restrain myself to meddling for friends, now. Progress, I suppose. Yeah, candies. Sweet, sugary, and designed to go straight to the hips is best. Comfort food, you know." she intones sagely, before quirking an eyebrow. "Oooh, so it /wasn't/ a flight that started this, eh?" Wince. "Oooh, that'll make it harder. Yep, you'll definitely have to grovel now, I'm afraid, if you can't shift any blame onto your lifemate."

"And then I will hope that you're good in it. Seein' as you seem to be making sense so far..." D'baji's not about to question free advice. After all, it's the stuff you have to pay for that's usually wrong. "I'm sure I'll be able to find some things like that, then... Iona- she's at SeaCliffs, the headwoman- she likes to shower us with gifts of food, and she's got all those kiddies and all those sweets. She'll know the best ones, no doubt." Bronzer shifts somewhat on the bench, nodding just a bit sheepishly. "I /am/ grovellin', really. I mean, as much as I figure it'll help... Just a difference in values, I swear. And nah, can't shift anythin' to Nverath. He's the grand one for flights and that. As soon as he finds his gold, he swears he'll fly no one but her and all... Though he didn't figure there was anythin' wrong with me an' the goldrider anywho. I mean, he likes her dragon well enough for the conversation, and he thought it was better than things being odd, and I'll admit I influence him some, and I'm rambling now aren't I?"

Liesana nods, strolling over to Vynrist, and collecting the first few pages of freshly-copied scores, hainding them to D'baji as she retakes her seat. "Well, keep up the good work then, but..." The rambling is listened to, and sifted for information. "Yeah... lemme see if I can figure out what you're getting at. Nverath is planning to be monogamous, once he meets the right girl. He's got his eye on a certain queen, and you're saying that's partly because of your influence. So, you're weyrmated to Kri, but you've also got a thing for one of the weyrwomen?"

D'baji happily accepts the pages, peering over them, and not totally getting what's on there- but he was never one for music. "Good work." This draws a bit of a snort, which he offers an apologetic little smile towards her for. And then to start the nodding. "He is. He's not sure how to meet the right one, though, so he may do some flights meanwhile, or he may not. I don't think he really knows. Cause he's never experienced that, I mean, I was with Kristi before Impression, so... He just knows that. And he likes Miyakath, but I wouldn't say he's interested in her like that yet... He's just close to her, so maybe. And Yuli an' I, well... We've just had this whole history thing since Candidacy, a lot of friendship there, and a lot of awkwardness in between it too... And then the whole thing goes back to promises in Weyrlinghood. But Nverath just likes Miyakath cause he enjoys talking to he,r and I don't think it has too much to do with Yuli. Maybe my affections- slight affections, mind you- are cause of him, I don't know." Whew.

Liesana nods. "I /think/ I'm following you..." she allows tentatively. "Well, I'd say that when it comes to conflicting values, the best thing to do is to make sure that everyone's values are as straightened out as possible beforehand. I think you need to figure out what's going on in your head with regards to Yulianna before you can sucessfully settle things with Kri." she surmises. "I mean, if you leave the awkwardness with her un-sorted-out, there'll always be this niggling little 'What If' in the back of your head. And Kri, being female, can probably sense that, and might be a little mistrustful, or afraid that you might leave, and hurt her. So if you've got promises made in weyrlinghood, either keep them, or figure out why you can't, and then build from there. Good foundations, and all." A wry grin. "Guess who'
who's rambling now?"

D'baji listens. Maybe it's something his picked up from his beloved Kristiana, hmm? But he's gotten not too bad at shutting his mouth, and waiting until people are finished talking before responding. "Oh, not /that/ sort of a promise, no... The promise is all over and done with, things are fairly good. And we've straightened out the values, yeah. I mean, she obviously thinks of sleepin' with people differently than I do, but I don't like to have her hurt and that, so we've got that sorted out as best we can, and it's just... I think it's all sorted out at least as best as it can be for now... And Yuli and I are good friends, sure, but it's really nothing more than that. At least, not for me, and she won't go too far into the rest of it. There was a crush on her part, but I'm hopin' that's done with. Destroyed that I did." And here's his somewhat sardonic beam. "But no. I've got it sorted and all, it's just... Yeah. Just that waiting to prove through lack of action."

Liesana shrugs. "In that case, seems you don't really need my advice at all." she allows, with a smile, moving over to breathe down Vynrist's neck a little more, in hopes of speeding up his copying. "Waiting can be a right bitch, I agree." she concurs. "So why not spend some of the empty hours romancing her?" she queries, with a twinkle once again taking up residence in amber eyes. "Harpers and ex-Harpers are more susceptible than the norm, I think, courtesy of all the sappy ballads we've had to learn."

"Well, if you're sure. Although y'know, I'm terribly at the whole romancin' stuff... I mean, what, the most romantic thing I've done for her, probably, would be that shardin' tuber I made into a heart durin' candidacy. You should've heard when I asked her to come live with 'Ver and I, it was like 'Oh, wanna come to the weyr' and she was like 'sure' and I had to clarify that I was serious... Tell me about romancing, then? If we've the time..." Dubious look Vynristwards.
D'baji *gawds and throws his name in there. And D'baji-player is getting tired when..

Liesana grins. "As I said before, actions speak louder than words. Just shut up, and sweep her off her feet a bit, hey?" she teases. "Kryz is about the most tongue-tied Harper I've ever met, but he's got a knack for knowing when I need a break, and seeing that I get one." Kryz, by inferrence, being the mysterious Significant Other of earlier. "Just... take her out for walks on some deserted beach. Just you and her and Nverath, if you can't get him to take a nap or something. Don't be anyone but yourself, but let her see your heart in your eyes, as sappy as that sounds. And hey." A decidedly knowing wink. "There are some activities that don't require talking at all..."

"Actions... Right, sweeping. Okay... Well, we went for walks on the beach before, all the time, at SeaCliffs, and that was sorta nice, actually, yeah. Maybe I'll draw her somethin'?" D'baji (ooh, note the name?) has been, if anything, given something to mull over for a bit now. "Oh, Nverath helps. Like, this one time durin' 'linghood, he was singing so we could dance to it, and that was sorta fun too... That's romantic enough, right, the dancin'? And Nverath's rather good at getting sweet little comments too..." And for her final comment, he'll just blush horribly. And change the subject. "So, are, er... Those copies almost done? I mean, I should probably be gettin' back fairly soon... Ish."

Liesana nods again. "There's the spirit." she notes. "Improvise, and all that good stuff. And art is very good..." she intones, before grinning. "Of course, I'm partial to artists myself, so I might be biased. And, let's have a look at those copies, Vynrist." she orders, beconing the apprentice lad out of the way. "Just a page to go, and I'll do it myself. Get you back to your lady love all the sooner." So speaking, she dips quill in ink, and sets to work with the practiced motions of a trained archivist.

D'baji beams for her praise, nodding. "What should I draw her, though? I mean... Hmm... Oh! I could maybe draw the Pub? Cause she used to work there, and I know she misses it somewhat... Or is that a bit too generic? Or is that bad, remind her of something that she liked when she's gettin' used to a knew lifestyle? Or she's told me about her family, maybe a protrait of them?" Braingrind. "Oh, and you're absolutely wonderful for doin' all of that for me... What are you wanting in return, exactly? Like, price or whatever?"

Liesana purses her lips, nibbling at the end of her quill, before starting copying again. "I think... draw something that has some private meaning to her, or you, or the both of you." is her advice. "An in-joke, if you will." Sheet one finished, she blots it, and hands it off to D'baji before starting the final one. "And as for payment...? Make sure my friend Kristiana stays happy, and we'll call it even."

D'baji nods, all that slowly and that. "Inside joke... Right, I'm sure there's something... Oh! Pokey plant!" Beam. "And you know, I do like it more when she's happy than when she's not," he admits, taking the page and viewing it with the same lack of understanding as he's used for the other ones. "And maybe we'll even come by an' visit some day, eh? I'm sure she'd love to see you again..."

Liesana finishes copying the final sheet of music, and holds out her hand to recieve the previous copies back from D'baji so she can roll them, and store them in a proper carrying tube, the top bearing the mark of Harper Hall. "Ah, there we go." she intones with a brisk pleasure in a job well done. "And you'd /better/ drop by and pay a visit... Otherwise I'll have to find some excuse to go to the weyr and track the two of you down myself." Be afraid. "I'm posted to Smith Hall, so that's where you'll usually find me. Simply in the middle of some extraordinary circumstances as of late. But clear skies to you."

D'baji offers the pages to her more than gladly, easing himself up from the bench, and rotating at the torso in a sort of lazy stretch. "Smith Hall... I'll keep that in mind, yeah. And of course, you'd always be welcome at the Weyr... But my thanks to you for all you've done for me, and I'm sure Kristiana will be pleased... I hope she'll be pleased." And he offers to her a brisk salute, hand extended for the tube. "And the same to you," in return for her adieu of sorts.

Liesana hands over the tube with a flourish, sketching a casual salute as she does so, before returning to her bench and the milling apprentices. "She'd better be pleased." she teases. "Unless she thinks I write my fingers to the bone for just /any/ friend. But I wish you luck, and happy courting. Forgive me for not walking you to your Nverath, but I /really/ have to get these reports compiled, or my head will be on some Master's dinner plate."