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Harper's Tale - Wednesday, February 06, 2002,
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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, Topaz, NightDreamer, Skittles, Arboric, Swift, and Kiel.
You see Bonehead here.
Arakiel is here.
Obvious exits:
Kitchen Smith Infirmary Courtyard Grand Staircase Lower Level

Arakiel is heading out for Ista, "Liesana, I'm heading over to the weaver's. If you see Evan, let him know?"

Liesana strolls up the stairs, looking over a line of neat figures in her notebook. She glances up to give Arakiel a nod. "Aye, will do, Ara. Any idea how long you'll be gone?"

Arakiel shrugs, "No clue. If he wants to join me, all the better."

Liesana nods. "I'll relay the message. Depending on how long you're down for, you may see me there as well." she allows. "Andron's promised me personnel files to go over. I finally get to go back to being a legist."

Arakiel flicks at knife at Liesana as she heads out. "Take care of the hold."

Liesana catches it with a grin. "I'll do my best." she promises, settling by the hearth with just a slightly mournful look at where the klah pots once were.

Arakiel with swishing of veils, steps 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, "Good evening."

Liesana looks up from the figures she's brought along with her, giving Evan a nod. "Evening, Evan. Arakiel said for me to let you know that she's gone down to Weaver Hall. Isn't sure when she'll be back."

Evan nods, "Hopefully she'll be back with the new tunics she's been trying to get for the last few months

Reeba strides quickly in from the Courtyard.

Liesana nods as well, before once again musing over her neat columns of figures. "I pity any smugglers trying to relieve /her/ of them." she allows with a dark humour, before footsteps catch her attention. "Ah, Reeba! Did you manage to pry those hides off Andron alright?"

Evan nods... that would be detrimental to their health at the very least

Reeba enters the Gathering Hall and spies the person she has been seeking, her mentor and friend Liesana. She attempts to hold up her arms which were hefting a large group of hides, "Aye Journeywoman, but he did put up a might fight!" Nearly droping the hides, she steadies herself before placing them down on the table closes to Liesana. "Ma....." she begins before stopping abruptly hoping Evan keeps his knives in check at momentary slip up, "Evan, it is good to see you again."

Liesana chuckles. "Andron...? Give him a smile and blow him a kiss, and he'll eat out of your hand." she shares her technique for managing the Lord Warder. "But excellent... These'll be a great help. Now, why don't you sit down a moment and catch you breath? I'd offer klah, except we seem to be rather..." wry look. "Out of it, at the moment."

Evan nods briefly to Reeba, muttering something unintelligible

Reeba blinks once and then once again and shrugs. "What is the world coming too when the Klah pots run cold?" Sighing deeply, she pulls back a chair and sits down.

Liesana shrugs. "Just what I'm trying to find out." she avers, putting away her notebook, and replacing it with a small white box of folded paper. Once pointedly placed right in front of her, she ignores it, inquiring "So... how are you and Jellem getting along...? Apprentice rules can be a right pain in the hind end sometimes, I bet."

Reeba sighs lightly, "Okay I guess" she responds not sure what the correct answer should be but also knowing it is pointless to lie in front of Liesana since she's known Jel and her for so many turns.

"Hmmm..." muses Liesana, leaving the answer at that, and giving no reason as to why she asked the question. "And travel... Must be starting to get rather boring, stuck on Ista Island day in, day out, never a chance to travel without an escort..." she muses furthur.

Rocking back and forth in her chair, she fidgets a bit trying to unwind after the trip on runner. Confused with all the questions, Reeba shrugs "You know better than most Lies, it gets boring at Ista. Hard to get out and focus on diplomacy when you see the same old holders day in and day out!" Grumbling a bit, "Just once I'd like to get out and solve real issues for someone!" Rolling her eyes, "I guess I shouldn't complain, I'm one apprentice who got to visit all the crafthalls and study there so I guess life could be worse. I almost wish I could go back to the crafthalls. At least SOME of them are not in Ista!"

Evan flags down a drudge and talks to her quietly for a few moments, resulting in her scampering out and returing in a few moments with a mug which she passes to Evan

Liesana nods. "Seems to me, you're getting pretty tired of being a senior apprentice, hmm?" she comments, picking up the little box, and tumbling it through her fingers. "Seems to me, something needs to be done about the situation. What would /you/ do, Reebs?"

Arakiel with swishing of veils, steps in from the Courtyard.

Reeba grins broadly, never one to miss an opportunity to press her own cause, "Well Lies, I'll be honest, I'm VERY tired of being a Senior Apprentice. I think I've earned by knot and seems to me either I should get it or someone should point out to me why I haven't demonstrated that I've earned it. Perhaps you could enlighten me?"

Arakiel enters with a bundle. Setting it on the table, "So did you miss me?"
Evan nods to arakiel, "Good evening love."

Arakiel smiles at Evan, "I brought enough klah to last a sevenday." She opens the bag. "Just don't ask how I got it. you don't want to know."

Evan nods, "Well... I won't tell you how I got this klah either."

"You /do/, do you...?" inquires Liesana severely, despite surrendering a good turn in age to Reeba. "Really..." She trails off, opening the box in a deft movement. "Well, for what it's worth, I agree with your appraisal of the situation." She empties the box into her palm and closes her fist. "And so do the Masters. Step over here, Senior Apprentice Reeba."

Arakiel flips a knife to the kitchen door, a druge peeks out, "Take this to Larix and tell him to guard this with his life or he'll answer to me." The drudge nods, taking the bundle.

Reeba can't help but smile from ear to ear as she stands up to approach her mentor. Seeing a knife tossed, she comments "Oh my, I didn't realize you had such deadly aim Arakiel!" Not that cutlery flying through the air was unusual at the Smith Hall.

Evan shrugs, "Well, that'll avert the riots for a few days at least... If the guards don't make any progress soon they've gotten incompetant recently

Arakiel sighs, "I miss Dee. She wouldn't have let this happen."

Liesana twinkles. "She's even managing to teach /me/ a little bit." she confides to Reeba, before standing, and taking a formal air. "Senior Apprentice Reeba, you have shown yourself a skillful student of the Harper Craft. You have learned your lessons well, and have acted in all honour and responsibility to your duties. The time has come for you to act upon what you have learned, and teach it to a new generation, as is the primary duty of a Harper. Take this new knot and wear it with pride in your Craft and in yourself. Congratulations." And here she cracks a grin, reaching up to pin the knot in her hand onto it's proper place. "/Journeyman/ Reeba."

Announcing proudly Reeba responds, "Thank you Journeyman Liesana, I'll endeavor to make the Hall proud in everything I do." Looking down at her knot, she quietly adds to Lies, "About bloody time!"

Arakiel smiles at Liesana, "What's this? What do we have here?"

Jaycen walks in from the Courtyard.

Arakiel nods to the newcomer, "Can I help you?"

From the balcony above, Ogera walks in from the East Wing.
From the balcony above, Ogera walks to the Grand Staircase.
Ogera walks in from the Balcony Landing.

Liesana likewise gives a nod to the newcomer before giving Arakiel a grin. "Just Harper Hall's latest Journeyman," she allows, giving Reebe a wink, and the quiet reply of "Tell me about it... I was about ready to hike to Fort and get Oriana to make an executive decision..." Full voice, she allows that "I think this calls for celebration. And I might still have a few decent skins left in my reserve..."

Jaycen looks around the room and with a warm smile says to the one who addressed him. " I am merely looking around. Whats the point in traveling if you don't stop and see things along the way.

Jaycen says, " and given the opportunity who would miss the Smith hall?"
Jaycen has disconnected.
Jaycen falls asleep.
OOC: Arakiel says "LOL"

"I can't wait to tell Jel! Where's a rider when you need one!" Reeba says with a smirk as she looks down at her spiffy new knot. "I guess without a dragon to get me back, I've got time for a drink or so if Arakiel would do me the honor of letting me stair here a night before heading back to Ista?" she says with polite respect of the headwoman.

Arakiel chuckles, "Sure Journeyman Reeba, you can sleep in the guest room."

The housekeeper arrives to cart Jaycen off to bed.

"Why thank you Arakiel, it's been too long since I've enjoyed the hospitality of the Smith Hall but I did indeed enjoy it when I was here a Turn ago." Reeba says as she sits down at the table.

Liesana twinkles, and retreats briefly down the stairs to her lair, returning with a skin of wine. "From Southern, but a pretty good vintage to celebrate with. Not having access to a store like Evan's." A nod of her head at the man in question. "Join us?" she asks of the two Smiths. "Reeba's really one of the last of our apprentice group to make rank."

Jaycen walks in from the Courtyard.
OOC: Jaycen says "sorry about that got booted off"

Reeba elbows Lies, "Gee, thanks for reminding me!" It's not like her journeyman project wasn't huge or anything.

Ogera stumbles over her own feet and almost falls onto someone. When she rises she realizes how clumsy she has been. She quickly picks up her dropped notes and reorders them neatly, stuffing them back into her apron pocket and sighs. "Every time I stop watching where I am going..."

Jaycen drops heavily into a chair as of someone weary of a long journey but with a wide eyed wonder that speaks of joy at the things he is seeing.

"I'm sorry but I missed your name" Reeba says calling over to the young traveler lad. "I'm Reeba, Harper Journeyman" she says a bit stiffly already hating how odd she feels with the new title. To Liesana, she teases "Are you going to pour, or do I have to do the honors myself?"

Liesana pours the wine with a flair, and gives a grin to Reeba. "What are friends for...?" she drawls, before handing over one of the glasses. "Ara? Evan?" she queries again, before stoppering the skin, and taking her own glass in hand. "To Journeyman Reeba. A long road, but a worthy one."

Evan nods to the new journeywoman, "Congratulations."

Reeba smiles warmly, nodding her head, "Thanks Evan. I appreciate that."

Arakiel says, "Evan, this young man," pointing to Jaycen, "Wants to see you."

Evan turns to Jaycen and frowns, "What can I do for you?"

Nodding to Liesana and her fine toast, Reeba takes her drink and sips it letting the fine drink slide slowly down her throat. "Southern eh? Not too shabby Liesana. Thanks for breaking it out for little ol' me!"

Arakiel sighs, "I'm beat, I'm heading up."
Arakiel with swishing of veils, steps to the Grand Staircase.
From the balcony above, Arakiel with swishing of veils, steps in from the Gathering Hall.

"Turnday present from Oli." Liesana reveals, taking a sip from her own glass, and leaning back in her chair as she holds the glass to the light. "Her way of saying I should come visit, I think." She gives a nod to Arakiel as she heads out.

From the balcony above, Arakiel with swishing of veils, steps to the Craftmaster's Office.

Evan stands and, with a nod to the harpers, follows his wife upstairs
Evan goes home.

"I think you ought to take her up on that! I know I would!" Reeba says with a grin. "I'd love to visit Southern even for only a day or two." Reeba says enthusiastically.

Jaycen has disconnected.
Jaycen falls asleep.

Ogera looks at the Herpers and sighs "Good day to you Journeyman Liesana, Journeyman." She then moves downstairs.
Ogera walks to the Lower Level.

Liesana gives a grin. "Well... now you can." she twinkles taking another sip of wine. "There's a reason that 'journeyman' contains the word 'journey." A nod for the third departing Smith. "G'day, Ogera," before she turns back to her friend. "Kryz and I went day-tripping there with a 'rider friend of mine, back in apprentice days..." she remnisces. "But you might remember that. Was it you, or Ambar that caught us sneaking back?"

Hrmms, "I don't recall but I'm guessing it was Ambar. I always missed the fun." Reeba responds with a sigh. "Mind if I ask you a question? Does the Hall have any idea what they plan to do with me just yet?" Reeba inquires quitely.

Liesana twinkles. "Means you also always missed the extra chores..." she muses, before giving Reeba's query some serious thought. "To tell you the truth, I'm not sure. Traditionally, you've got two options as a new Journeyman. You can stay at Main Hall and help out, or you can take an itinerant route." A grin. "I always found the second more fun, being a Law-type."

"Well, with diplomacy, I would hope that they would send me out or send me to study under a Master more schooled in the art. We're a rare breed, ya' know!" Reeba says with grin as she takes another drink. "I was just curious about what I'm going to be doing. As you know, Jell and I were hoping to fast, well, until Jav came back to Ista that is." Reeba sighs and her eyes grow sad, "I'm not sure what will happen now."

Liesana grins and raises her glass. "To rare breeds..." And then she trails off, glancing over at her friend. "Yes, Javere... She returned after I'd already posted here. What's happened there, between you two? Jellem, naturally, won't tell me."

"Well, nothing really happend between her and I. Just that I've always liked Jellem but he and she were a couple back in the appy days so I never said much to him about it. However when she was knotted, she was always gone and didn't seem to make time for him....well, from what I can gather but I could be wrong." Reeba says gushing out her sob story. "Anyway, we grew really close but he still loves her, I can tell, but I just don't know where I stand anymore." Looking at her new knot, "I guess now I'll find out one way or the other."

A slight wince furrows Liesana's brow as she listens. "Ooooh, that's not a pretty mess to deal with. Although you're right that things'll have to go one way or the other." In an attempt to lighten the mood, she notes that "If worst comes to worst, I could always fix you up with one of the Smith journeymen. Faranth knows Arakiel's been trying hard enough to get /me/ to pick one."

Reeba giggles lightly, "Nah, never a smith. I like it hear but they play too much with knives. I'd be afraid my children would be in mortal danger. A rider perhaps, or maybe a quiet hold craft, just not a smith."

Liesana grins, waggling an eyebrow. "The knives aren't so bad..." she allows. "The muscles tend to make up for it a tad." She may not be on the market, but she's still got a Harper's eye for, ah, detail it seems. "But a rider...? You're a brave woman. I don't know if I could handle the stresses posed by that." she muses, somewhat introspectively.

Reeba cackles, "Hey, if I can handle a depressed Jellem, I can handle ANYTHING!" Reeba's eyes twinkle, "Aye, the muscles are nice but the ones who work the forge are always dirty too. Perhaps a woodcrafter, or a gemcrafter would be nice. Hopefully it won't come to that. I've been stuck on Jellem for many Turns. We'll just see if those turns are as well spent for him as they were for me." Standing up, she takes a brief look at her knot again and smiles, before looking up at her friend, "Well Lies, thanks for the knot and the drink. I think I'm going to turn in. I want to get up early tomorrow so I can get back to the Hall as soon as possible."
Reeba goes home.