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Harper's Tale - Monday, October 08, 2001,
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Gathering Hall
The room seems to loom as you enter, though the warmth within easily overcomes that feeling. It's huge, easily taking up a good third of the hall, and offering room for most people to sit and chat. The heat of the great hearth on the far wall spreads throughout, the merry crackling adding a peaceful undertone to the usually occupied room, heard even above the murmer of voices. Tables are all but littered about, pulled into and out of place by friends at a regular basis. Several more permanent tables and benches are settled along the far edge, an ever-full klah pot and several trays of various and sundry snacks almost always set out for the hungry and bored. The walls are decorated, tapestries denoting every part of Pern society strung about. Along the wall above the kitchen, in particular, is the pride and joy of the weavers: a string of dragons flying Threadfall. The vibrant flames and metallic hues of the dragons seem to glow as the flickering firelight strikes them. Above everything runs a long overhang, people passing to and fro, passing overhead of the figures and gatherings below. A handful of glowbaskets light the upper ends, the rest of the mainroom light brightly with candles and decorative lighting.
Various scents assult your nose as you walk in here. The rich smell of foods from the kitchen. The fire's smoke and heat. The sweet odors of various pipeweeds from the gossipers surrounding the hearthside table. The aromatic baskets do little here, except add their own faint undertones.
Clinging to a high beam are Fawnix, Skittles, Topaz, Arboric, and Parsiron.
You see Bonehead here.
Safri, Evan, and Arakiel are here.
Obvious exits:
Kitchen, Smith Infirmary, Courtyard, Grand Staircase, Lower Level

Safri strides in from the Courtyard.

Hazel walks in from the Courtyard.
Hazel walks to the Courtyard.

From the balcony above, Evan glides silently in from the SmithCraft Office.
From the balcony above, Evan glides silently to the Grand Staircase.
Evan glides silently in from the Balcony Landing.

Evan nods to Liesana and Safri as he walks down the stairs.

Liesana is still sitting at her table, still surrounded by hides. As yet another Harper Apprentice enters, a second mysterious box joins the first one, now empty, on the tabletop. A nod is given to Evan in return, and then she waves to Safri. "A good trip, Saf?" she inquires of her mentee, ignoring the little box atop of the hides.

Safri creeps quietly in, in her mouse-like way. Shyly, she glances around, waving slightly at Evan, before turning towards Liesana. A smile is risked across her face, as tiny steps are taken forward. "It was okay," she answers in her quiet tones. A pause, before her head is tilted to the side, and she adds in an embarassed way, "Thank you for asking." She's a polite one, no?

Bryon walks, swinging his cane but not really needing it anymore in from the Courtyard.
Bryon walks, swinging his cane but not really needing it anymore to the Courtyard.

Liesana smiles. "Least I could do after asking you to journey here. Now, how are your studies progressing, do you feel?" She reaches out, and takes the new box, once more tossing it from hand to hand, seemingly oblivious to it's presence even while playing with it.

From the balcony above, Arakiel with swishing of veils, steps in from the West Wing.
From the balcony above, Arakiel with swishing of veils, steps to the Grand Staircase.
Arakiel with swishing of veils, steps in from the Balcony Landing.

Safri lets her eyes rest on the box for a moment, before dismissing it as something unimportant. "Well," she starts hesitantly, the gears in her mind a-whirling, "I think everything is going quite well." A few hides she carries are waved around half-heartedly. "I've been working on quite a bit of stuff." Yes, stuff. She realizes the lack of specificity, and expands her thoughts, "I mean, working on some songs I wanted to perfect, and have been taking a lot of lessons." Well, of course.

Arakiel enters, running her fingers through her wet hair, tying it back. "Evening."

Liesana nods. "Good, good..." she muses, tipping a casual wave at Arakiel, before asking the next loaded question of her poor little mentee. "How do you feel about your progress in the area of promotion? Would you be ready for Senior Apprentice responsibilities any time soon? Do you know what more that would entail?" The little box continues to be lazily juggled.

Evan nods to Arakiel as she comes downstairs. "Good evening love."

Arakiel smiles at Evan, "You should've joined me, love. The water was wonderful." She slides into her chair. "And how are you tonight?"

Evan shrugs, "I am caught up on my work for a change... which is always nice."

Safri just blinks in confusion, not quite catching on with this. She opens her mouth, attempting to respond, but on a second thought, closes it. Time is taken to think, before she attempts to procur an answer. "Promotion?" she manages to stammer out. A shrug falls across her shoulders, "I don't know.. maybe in a while. The responsibilites, I guess I could handle." Yes, nothing is definate... "As for what it would entail, well, I'd have to start work on a J-man project, right? And there'd be more responsibilty since it's a more Sr. position." Yes, she's avoiding coming up with a *real* answer.. Shh..

Arakiel stretches lazily, "That's wonderful." Turning to the harpers, "What's going on with them?"

Evan raises a brow, "The harpers? I have no idea... but they have been discussing it for quite a while.

Liesana nods. "Increased responsibility. In what two main areas?" she inquires. Being away from the main Hall means that she doesn't get to indulge the sadistic side of herself in apprenticeship interviews. Therefore her mentees get all the fun.

Arakiel frowns softly, then shrugs. "I got a note from Cirria. She was wondering if the nanny position is still opened."

Evan nods. "We should talk to her then... to see whether or not she is right of the position.

Safri pauses for another moment, a cat having 'got her tongue'. She blinks several times, before achieving a proper train of thought to at least come up with some completely random thought. "Uhm.. Teaching?" Yes, she's got one. However her mind has completely gone awry. "And.. cleaning latrines?" Oh, that was a really good thought. She blushes, her cheeks going completely red, before stammering something more.. likely. "Er-- I mean I-interviewing." Good one, Saf.

Arakiel nods to Evan, "I'll send a reply to see when she can arrive at the Hall."

Liesana is nodding as she juggles. Teaching. Good. And then she stops, the box falling to land on her lap with a soft sound. A chuckle. "Cleaning latrines? Have you been getting into more trouble than I'd ever give you credit for?" And then a nod, and the juggling resumes. "Interviewing, yes. Both with supervision." The box is tossed higher, and then behind her head once more, and once more the journeywoman catches it behind her back. And, also once more, she smiles. "Pick a hand."

Safri blushes a tad more, "No, not at all," is her response to the trouble bit. It was the first thing that came to her mind, really. She eyes Liesana warily for a moment at the problem of 'picking a hand'. "My brother used to do this to me all the time," she mumbles quietly to herself, refraining from stating the usual response of 'neither' or 'both'. "That one," is finally offered in a questioning-like tone, as she points to the left-hand one. Well, her left at least.

Lady suddenly disappears ::between::!

Liesana could be evil, and switch the box to the other hand. But she'll show mercy today. The box is held in her palm, and she removes the lid, fiddling with something inside. "Well, you have a much more restrained ego then half of the Craft, but I'm pleased with your progress. And more importantly, so are the Masters." And with that, she stands, the 'something' she'd been fiddling with clutched in her hands. "Apprentice Safri of the Harper Craft." she intones, enjoying the formal words, and rolling them from her tongue. "Please stand and accept this knot, symbol of your promotion to Harper Senior Apprentice. Wear it with pride in your Craft, and also in yourself."

"What?" Safri gasps, a little louder than her usual quiet speech. Her brow is furrowed with surprise, and inevitably, confusion. "There must be a mistake," she mumbles to herself, eyes flitting to put their gaze towards Liesana. Finally, a shrug is given, accepting her 'horrible, horrible' fate. Well, if they insist on her being a Senior Apprentice, she'll not be one to complain. Well, not right away at least. "Thank you," she finally adds on, always remembering her manners at the last moment.

Liesana chuckles, and continues to hold the knot out to her mentee. "Congratulations, and you can take the knot... They're not known to bite, you know." Watching the newly-minted senior apprentice's flusterment (She can invent words if she wants to!), the journeywoman grins. "You know, you didn't faint... I think I owe Oli a quarter mark. But I assure you there's no mistake made. We want you to have the rank, and we're proud of you."

Arakiel turns to Liesana, "And now I expect you want a special treat for this little ceremony?" asking as she stands up to head for the kitchen.

Safri accepts the offered knot with a sort of awe. She manages to place a smile across her face, at least showing some sort of contentment with the promotion. "I didn't faint?" she asks, not quite catching on, before shaking her head with an ammending, "Oh, right." Well, she might've fainted, but that was really strong klah she had this morning. Yup. (repose)

Liesana chuckles at Arakiel. "If you're heading there already, we wouldn't be averse, but don't trouble yourself unnecessarily on our account." Other mentees, Lies would be planning a rather large party, but she wouldn't want to spook this one.

Arakiel with swishing of veils, steps to the Kitchen.
Arakiel with swishing of veils, steps in from the Kitchen.

Arakiel returns with a tray full of fresh hot bubblies, pastries, klah and a cold wineskin. "Well, we don't want to short anyone that proves they are ready for promotion. Will this do?"

Safri just blushes. A lot. She's really much too shy to deal well with this sort of situation. "It's okay, really," she attempts to protest, not wanting all of the attention. A slight step is taken back for comfort-- yes, crowds are scary. Eeeee.

Liesana chuckles. "We don't, at that. And that looks to be a good celebratory feast. You and Evan will join us?" And then a smile at Safri. "Nope, you didn't faint at all. Took it with quite a bit more composure than I ever did." Jumping around and like an idiot child, that was Liesana.

Arakiel sets the tray down, smiling, "Enjoy. I have to deal with a problem in the kitchen." She gives the wineskin to Evan to do the honors. "Go ahead and don't wait for me."

Safri is the queen of composure, really. You could make her ruler of all of Pern, and she'd just stand there, not really responding at all, except with a touch of confusion. Thus is the situation now, as she attempts to deal with these scary things. Being sociable is quite trying for the shy gal. "Well, I guess," she finally manages to say, taking two steps forward. One step backwards, two steps forward.. Wait, that isn't quite how it goes...

Evan nods his thanks to ARakiel and sets the skin on the table. "Just don't kill anyone love."

From the balcony above, Dawine innocently wanders in from the East Wing.
From the balcony above, Dawine innocently wanders to the Crafter's Lounge.

Something like that. Liesana continues to smile, the expression growing wider as she eyes the assmebled goodies on the tray. "They /do/ feed you well here at Smith." she smiles to the still-wide-eyed mentee. "I suggest you try one of the bubblies while it's hot." She sets an example by taking one herself, before geturing at the tray and in Evan's direction. "Can I get you one before you open the wine?"

Arboric glides to the Courtyard.

Safri shuffles forward, her eyes towards the ground, movie reluctantly towards the tray. This means she'll have to stay, and socialize. Ugh. A bubbly is grabbed, and daintily moved towards her mouth. Chomp. Heywait.. if she's chewing, then no one will expect her to talk, right? Chomp, chomp, chomp. Little bites, mind you. The thing has to last.

Liesana reclines in her chair, tipping back on the back two legs in the curious habit that every single member of her family seems to share. Munching away at her bubbly, she has no intention of letting Safri act the quiet little mouse. "So, Safri, what do you plan to do with yourself now that you've got this knot? Will we be seeing any classes from you soon?"

Well, you can't say Safri didn't try. She swallows a piece of bubbly nervously, before responding with her lovely opinion, "Well, I guess so. And I'll be working on my J-man project, now." Yes, the fabled J-man project. She smiles at this thought, though the smile quickly flips itself back into the normal crease of her lips.

Liesana smiles some more, and pops the last of her bubbly in her mouth. "I'll be looking forward to recieving reports." she intones. "And if you need any help in getting folks to work together, I'll be happy to yell at them for you." Oooh, petite soprano Journeywoman. Very Scary that... Unless of course, she threatens to prank them.

Arakiel returns to the Gathering Hall from the kitchen with a satisfying smirk. "That's settled. How's the bubblies?"

Safri smiles a bit at this, not sure whether to take the offer as a jest, or as a real offer. "Of course," she agrees, "reports." Safri smiles slightly at Arakiel, "They were wonderful, thank you." And with that, she stands abruptly. "Must go, I have some work that needs to be done." Yes, 'work'. And with that, Safri leaves in fear of her crazy mentor-type.

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