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Harper's Tale - February 16, 2002
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Corner Office with a View
The walls are blue, graduated in lightening and darkening shades like sea and distant mountains against a hazy warm sky. A window sheds light from the only unpainted wall, surrounded by framed paintings and sketches of dragons, harpers, and colorful flowers. A 'tapestry' hangs across from the door, a contemplative study of blue dragon and rider, and a soft blue and white carpet covers the floor.
A large desk, neatly covered with stacks of books and hides, bedecked with drying line to which paintings are clipped, is obviously in nearly constant use, stands near the window so that the light of the sun can stream down over the work during the daytime. Between the desk and the wall rests a rather large chair, looking comfortable enough for the hours often spent working here. Across from the desk, another pair of chairs sit waiting for visitors to fill them.
Tucked away behind a painted partition, a four-poster bed stands, neatly made, small toys littering the quilted surface, evidence that the room sometimes doubles as a residence.
It is an autumn afternoon.
Settled comfortably in the center of the bed is Perry.
You see Issham here.
Kaeryn and Brencia are here.
Obvious exits:
Out

A light knock precedes a light voice inquiring "You busy, Kae?" Soon followed by a chestnut haired head poking around the corner, belonging to none other than Liesana, who's legal outburst seems to have subsided.

Kaeryn glances up from where she's playing with her younger child, toys scattered around both she and Issham, covering a large portion of the floor. Brencia's sprawled across the bed, a puzzle spread out before her, and she seems quite intent on finding the solution. "Not unless you consider playing dragonrider to be busy," the harper replies, holding up a tiny version of her weyrmate's bronze dragon.

Liesana grins, and neatly crouches down to admire the toy. "Sejith right there, unless I miss my guess." she hazards. "Been a while since I saw family, what with Oli down in Southern, so I thought I might drop by. How are you and Issham doing? And you too, Brencia." she smiles at her younger cousin.

Issham holds up the tiny figure of a man and wiggles it enough to draw attention to himself. "Daddy," he announces, giving her a smile toothy enough to make his mother laugh. "We're doing well. The children decided to come with me back to the hall this sevenday, because their father's busy with weyrling placements. Issham's just happy because he gets to play with the toys his grandfather sent him for his last turnday." The dragon is returned to the floor, and Kae gets to her feet, stretching tall, "We keep half of their things here, more to rid ourselves of clutter than to keep them amused."

Brencia looks up from the puzzle after flipping over a few of the pieces and reorganizing them on the mattress, "Mommy said that I might get to go stay with cousin Brina at the Dolphinhall. I swim with Ari, Mommy's partner, all the time, so they think I would 'ben-ben-benefit from the expo-exposure'." She grins, revealing a missing tooth, and turns her attention back to the puzzle.

Liesana nods. "Yes, I suppose that would take up a good bit of time. I was looking for T'rell at my aunt's handfasting a few sevendays back, but /I/ just barely managed to get time off. Of course, that just means I get to see my cousins a little more easily," A smile for the pair of kiddies. "So there's the silver lining to it." She turns to regard Brencia attentively, nodding once. "I think you'd like it over there... I've got some friend at Dolphin Hall, and they're great people. The 'phin's are amazing, too. I think, if I wasn't posted to Smith Hall, I might've taken up Dolphinsinging like your mom."

Kaeryn says, "She's taken to spouting off anything that she hears her father or myself say," Kae explains, rolling her eyes just slightly, but the smile she offers her eldest child is one of pride. "She's right, though. Brina's agreed to take her on as a part-time fosterling, where she'll spend some of her days at the 'hall and some of them at home with us." Leaning forward, she drops her voice to a whisper, "I just want her to grow accustomed to craft life so she doesn't put her entire heart into being a 'rider like her father." "

"But Daddy says I'll be asked to Stand as soon as I'm old enough," 'Cia replies, tartly. Noting her mother's stern look, she adds, "Prob'ly. I'll prob'ly be asked."

Liesana's eyes twinkle. "I remember being that age..." She confides to Kaeryn "My father being a Herder born and bred, I ended up repeating a few phrases my mother would've preferred I didn't." she grins. "And while it's really up to the dragons as to who stands and who doesn't, I'd say you've got as good a chance anyone. Got any firelizards?"

"Not yet, but Mommy said that if I'm good and help out, she'll give me an egg from Eppie's next clutch," Brencia replies with a hopeful smile.

"Right. *If*," Kae repeats, shaking her head. "If Brina says you behave and help out with the dolphins, and Ari says you've stayed out of trouble."

Liesana grins. "I'm sure you'll have no problem there." she assures Brencia. "After all, you're probably just as much of a doll as Tolia and I were at your age." Fortunately T'rell is not in hearing to offer hoots of laughter at that thought. "And the 'Phincrafters are pretty easygoing, from what I've seen, so long as the dolphins are being well looked after well." She'll offer ideas for pranks later.

"Ari knows all of Brencia's tricks," Kaeryn points out as she makes herself comfortable on the edge of the bed. "She's been around since 'cia was first learning to swim, so I'm sure she'll keep her out of *deep* trouble, at least." At the mention of Lies and Tolia being 'dolls', she snorts, "If you were worse than Oli was when I first took her under my wing, I'm hoping she isn't that much of a 'doll'."

Liesana's eyes twinkle still more, although she deadpans that "Well, the art of pranks is a family secret, you know. Although I've reformed, really." She lets her mentees play them now. "But I suppose you can't ask for a much better sitter than a dolphin. Except perhaps Sejith." she muses, reaching into her carrysack to produce a small wooden runnerbeast, forgotten by some Smith child, and trotted out now to amuse Ishem, poor second though it comes to a dragon.

Issham's eyes light up and his chubby fingers reach for the new toy, "Runner!" Fingers wiggle, and the dragon is dropped to the floor, forgotten. "Speck! Please, Ish play with Speck?"

Hynolonie hugs Liesana! Liesana throws her arms around Hynolonie, and whirls her in a merry dance of joy!
"Issh likes runners even more than dragons," Kae points out, amused slightly. "I guess that comes from me, because I've always preffered them myself. And, they're more of a novelty to him, living at a weyr."

Liesana chuckles, and hands over the little carved runnerbeast, 'cantering' it across the floor to the small boy's hand. "Oh, it could come from either side. My line of the family is Herder for a good three or four generations, despite some of us rebelling and running to Harper Hall." So says a 'rebel' with a twinkle still in her eye. "I've got my mare Storm here at the moment, she runs me back and forth between Smith and Main Hall when I need it. If either Issham or Brencia would like a ride, she's only fourteen-three, and rather likes kids."

"There's herder in their blood on both sides, actually. My father is as well," Kae notes, reaching down to push Issham's hair out of his eyes. "How're things here, at the hall?" She queries, adjusting her skirts so they cover her legs. "I've never actually been posted here, so I'm not even sure what it's like to be a teacher in these parts. I was sent to Tillek as soon as I walked, then the Lady Rose, and finally on to the weyr." Nodding toward the apprentice dorms, she adds, "Not that I was ever an apprentice here either. I guess I was just meant to travel."

Liesana rolls a shoulder. "Hmmm, not quite as up on gossip as I might be, being posted out to Smith. Although /they/ certainly have some interesting times there." she allows, with an arch to one eyebrow. "But as for Hall news... Reeba just got her knot, so there's finally another Law specialist journeyman around that doesn't creak when they walk. I think she's planning to journey. Hmmm... what else... Ah yes, I don't know if this is common news yet, but Javere is expecting, and Jellem's the father. And Master Jueann and I have been assisting Andron in sorting out Ista's latest spate of accounting woes." She doesn't go into detail, aware of young ears in the room.

"How long have you been back at the hall, then? Are you just here for a sevenday or two before going back?" Kae raises an eyebrow with the question, "It's so hard to keep up with when people come and go around here, I never know who's supposed to be where." At the news on Javere, she grins, "The harper craft keeps growing, even if it isn't by gaining apprentices. I'll be sure to congratulate her the next time I see her."

"Just down for a two day run," confirms Liesana. "Smith is only three hours up the valley a-runnerback, so it's hardly skin off my nose to come down and pick up a class if we get left short-handed. Like Court Law today. Supposed to be Journeyman Ardellin teaching, but he, ah... had a rather memorable end to a tryst, and is stuck in the Infirmary for a couple more days. That fellow will never learn, I think." she headshakes. "Not that I mind too much... Nice to get to teach from my specialty, instead of just ballads for the Smith kiddies." At the mention of congratulations for Javere, the younger woman tenses just slightly. "I'd, ah, make those congratulaions gently," she advises. "Jellem and Reeba had a thing for a while, and I'm not sure if she knows about Javere's condition yet..."

"Oh, I'm sure she'll know by the time *I* see Javere," Kae notes, but she does take the advice to heart. "That isn't the sort of news I send by runner. And, with these two around, I won't be getting out of this room much unless I found a willing babysitter." With a sigh, she gives a shake of her head, "The problem with harpers is that they always manage to get themselves into the worst possible love affairs. Myself included."

Liesana arches an eyebrow. "That's what senior apprentices are for?" she suggests innocently, with regards to the babysitting problem. "Offer to give them course credit, as they'll no doubt spend a good bit of time working around children, if they get posted out..." The comment on love affairs gets a wry look. "Very true, and I'm not immune myself, despite the supposed rationality my specialty confers on me. I think it's an overdose of ballads that causes it.

"That's what I blame for my bleeding heart," Kae wrinkles her nose and shakes her head again. "But at least Marius isn't posted here full time, nor at the weyr, or more than my heart would bleed. T'rell doesn't take his visits very well even now, and it's been almost seven turns since all of that happened." With a small pout, she glances toward the door, as if expecting to see Marius' familiar form walk through it. "It's a shame too, because Marius has always been my best friend first, and I appreciate his company."
Liesana nods, the twinkle in her eyes fading as she ponders some recent event. "Yes... that's like Kryz and I, best friends first. And there really isn't anyone else besides him at the moment, which makes it easier and harder, having him at High Reaches and me here. But..." She pauses, and leans up against the doorframe, voice dropping to something quiet. "Kae... can I ask you something?"

Kaeryn looks a little puzzled, but nods quickly anyway, "Of course, anything. What's up?"

Liesana sighs slightly. "Oh... where to start. Well, you've probably heard about Kryz and I. And yeah, we care a lot about each other. But we're so far apart... we've never actually, ah, done anything, ah... physical, you know." She flushes slightly. "Anyways... With this smuggling case, I'd been working in quite close quarters with Andron, the Lord Warder, for some pretty long periods of time. And... we'd always flirted a bit, it's just the way he is, but nothing serious. And then, we had a couple glasses of wine while going over some figures, and I... ended up sleeping with him. I can't see it ever happening again... but what do I tell Kryz? Do I tell him at all?"

Kae flinches slightly, but gives Lies an understanding smile. "That's a hard one to answer, really. That's how Jerran and I split up, actually, so I'm not sure if I can give the right answer." She pauses, chewing on her lower lip for a moment, thinking. "Of course, the situation was different for us, hopefully. I couldn't exactly hide the fact that T'rell and I had been together, because I was showing pretty well before the Lady Rose ever made it back to Tillek. Would I have told him if I hadn't've gotten pregnant? I think," she sighs, shaking her head, "I would've anyway, because I knew then that things weren't going to work between Jerran and I. But this is different. Does Andron mean anything to you? Other than a working partner that you flirt with? If so, you should think seriously about that. If not, and no one else knows, I'm not sure I'd tell him. Harpers take things too much to heart, you know."

Liesana shakes her head. "No." she intones simply. "He'd break my heart if I let myself fall for him. He's weyrbred, and I don't think commitment is in the cards for him. And I know I'd need that. Also, he's bisexual, and I know my family would throw a fit. So we'll just remain... whatever we are, and nothing more. But I don't know if I like what this says about me, Kae. I'm craftbred, not holdbred, but I still never thought I'd... be able to act like that. And as much as I'd like to, I can't blame it on the wine." A wry chuckle. "Sorry to dump all this on you, now that you've got /your/ life pretty well straightened out."

"It's amazing what we can do sometimes, despite how we were raised," Kae offers as a slight consolation. "Granted, no one ever thought commitment was in the cards for T'rell, and look at him now," she winks, but then shakes her head, "it isn't a problem. We all need someone to talk to sometimes, and the less involved they are with the situation, the better. If he's nothing more than a friend to you, make sure you keep it that way from now on, that way if you do decide to tell Kryz, it'll be easier for him to take... and it will be easier for you to forgive yourself for. As for telling him or not, let your heart decide. If you feel too guilty to keep it inside, you'll have to tell him. Otherwise, I suggest just getting past it and moving on." Her eyes sparkle as a new thought comes to mind, "Could the Smith's miss you for a few more days? I'm sure T'rell would be more than willing to take you up to High Reaches for a visit."

Liesana twinkles. "If I tell Arakiel it's on business pertaining to matters of the heart, I think she'll keep Evan from saying 'Boo'." she notes. "Despite her reputation and her love affair with knives, she has a rather well-developed matchmaking side. Went so far as to kidnap Kryz and haul him down to Smith for a visit, after she couldn't get me to settle with one of their journeymen." The brief levity returns to a serious nod. "I'll... keep that in mind." she agrees. "Thanks for the advice, Kae. I could ask my aunt, but..." A wry look. "She's about as shameless as a runnerbeast in heat at times, and would probably just say it was Kryz's fault for not taking me to bed. So, it's nice to have a more sensible quasi-relative to turn to."

"Well, the offer's always open, I don't even need to ask T'rell first," Kae promises, getting to her feet. "I know him well enough to know he'd be more than willing to help you out as much as he can." Kicking a few toys out of her way, she moves to her desk, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go find 'Mak and speak to him before heads out of his office for the evening."

Liesana gives a nod, and slips back through the doorway. "Aye, indeed I will. I've got some hides I'd better get marked. But thanks for the visit and the talk. And Brencia, Isshem, if you can convince your mum to let you, I'd be happy to take you for a ride on Storm Dancer."