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Post by Alsivor on Oct 7, 2008 9:05:48 GMT -8
The day in the much reduced camp just outside the Weyr had been spent much as any other day: at work, on chores. After all, just because the turn was coming to an end, did not mean that everything else did.
And yet, what was in the cooking pots of several of the wagons was not the same as every day, and the way the few children remaining played had that extra sparkle to it. They ran to and fro between wagons and out into the woods to jump into deep piles and drifts of snow as the afternoon shadows grew long and dusk crept over the camp, the sense of excitement and anticipation building.
Aleda walked from her wagon to old Bellina's with her coat pulled tight and her nose buried deeply behind her scarf, hands digging into pockets after warmth, even gloved. Telgar in winter was no laughing matter and she worried a little about its effects on the old woman's joints. Perhaps she should have gone south with the rest of the Caminar. "Ayah, no it is good to see the snow again," Bellina told her as the sabedoria worked the joint-ail ointment into her joints with patient hands. Aleda smiled for Bellina's simple delight in the crisp white drifts that piled up around the camp. Within the circle of wagons of course, it was all trodden down and the fires burned brightly today, moreso it seemed than others even.
Already the musicians in the camp were tuning up and running through things, the drums stirring Aleda's pulse to quickening and she looked forward to tonight and the dancing and the hollering to welcome in the new turn. She was fairly sure she could count on company too and that widened her smile all the more. "Ready for tonight, big sister?" Silvio asked her as he came around the corner of their uncle's wagon. /He/ was already all gussied up and Aleda whistled lowly. "Even though you've got a sure thing, you're not leaving it to chance, are you?" she teased him and Silvio just rolled his eyes at her. "I want to look nice for her," he said simply and ran his hands through his hair, smoothing it out. Aleda only laughed again and swung back into her wagon to get ready.
The sun dropped fully below the horizon while she dressed and brushed out her hair and the drumbeat picked up, louder, wilder as Caminar congregated around the flames and the first uncertain guest or two from the Weyr approached, drawn by the scents of good food, the sound of wild music and laughter.
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Post by Invisible on Oct 13, 2008 14:50:02 GMT -8
What a long day it had been. Chores were extra annoying and laps extra horrible because Genet couldn’t wait for it to be over. Anquilith had picked up on her excitement and was being difficult to deal with which just lead to even more trouble. By the time dinner rolled around Genet was ready to be done for the day. All of the weyrlings she’d spoken to were excited about the free time, but few of them were going to go out to the Caminar wagons to see what they were doing. Which was fine enough for the greenrider anyway. It’d be more fun without them. Well, some of them. There were a few of them she got along with quite well and she’d hoped to talk them into coming with her.
Even G’tet was not in a rush to get out there. He’d said he was going to spend the first part of his night with his wingmates. Well, that was his choice, but it meant she had to go alone. Anquilith was content to remain in the bowl watching the people there which was entirely unfair. Shouldn’t she have wanted to go too? Oh, well, Genet just hoped G’tet was planning on turning up at all since Aleda was likely going to be looking for him to show. If he found some handsome man she was likely to be stuck waiting. Again not her problem.
Not being girly she’d not done too much with her appearance. Truth was she didn’t even know what to do. Her hair was too short to worry about other than to brush her curls into some semblance of unknotted. At least her outfit was better than she’d had ever. Aleda’s gift along with the perfect boots she’d found in stores, like she’d known she would, and she was ready to go. Over it she wore her coat because it was freezing. And even though she knew he would be expecting her, looking for her, she still lingered on the outskirts of the wagons only listening to the music coming from near the fire.
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Post by Alsivor on Oct 15, 2008 7:44:02 GMT -8
As the sun set, the party really kicked into gear, food was shared all around the fire, laughter and dancing already in full swing as Aleda stepped out into the cold in her dress, a shawl wrapped around her shoulder. The heat from the fire was a welcome thing and she stood near, hands held out to the warmth of the flames. She noted a rider or two in amongst the Caminar and a pair of lower caverns workers, but otherwise it seemed to mostly be only the denizens of the camp. Her eyes lifted to the Weyr's dark shape where it lifted up above the valley, blocking out the stars. Perhaps she could go that way, see how they celebrated in the Weyr. For now though, she stuck close and thought about her family and strangely, Jevro out there on the road. Her father expected her and Silvio to rejoin them in the summer. Perhaps they would.
Silvio leaned in the angle of a pair of wagons, a flagon of steaming spiced drink in his hand, but his back was turned to the fire, the dancing, his people celebrating the coming of the new turn. He was watching, watching for Genet, excitement, anticipation and strangely, some nerves curling in his gut. There. Movement down near that outer ring of wagons and the flash of bright colors. Was that --? Yes. Hastily he took a sip from the flagon, set it down carelessly on the rear wheel of the wagon he was nearest and moved quickly over to meet her, hands held out, eyes alight. "Genet!"
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Post by Invisible on Oct 16, 2008 11:54:29 GMT -8
For whatever reason Genet was nervous coming alone. Maybe it felt more like she was intruding upon others lurking about by herself. Maybe she worried about it being overly obvious, like it was not already, that her and Silvio had been walking out together. Whatever the case she had second thoughts and even third ones. Not that she would act on them. As much as she wanted to be back at the Weyr it in no way matched how much she wanted to be here right now. Stupid G’tet not coming right away anyway. Like his wingmates were more important than her!
As she stood there on the outskirts with her hands in her pockets whatever else she might have been thinking was interrupted by Silvio. She was happy to see him and pulling her hands from her pockets she hurried over to him with a smile. For a second she stood in front of him and then she reached for his hands with hers. “Hi. Were you waiting long? The baths were insane tonight. You’d think those people had not bathed in months the amount of time they spent scrubbing.” Her head turned looking around as she said, “G’tet’s going to be by at some point he said. He asked me to tell Aleda he would be late, but she could go join him if he ran too long.”
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Post by Alsivor on Oct 16, 2008 16:30:33 GMT -8
Silvio's hands closed warmly around Genet's and his smile brightened all the more. "Not too long," he said with a shake of his head. "And I can believe that. Turnover only happens once a turn after all." He drew one of her hands up to his lips, meaning to drop a kiss there. "Aleda's over by the fire, we can let her know. Would you like to come get warm? Have a bite? Or just dance?"
His eyes were intent on hers there was a flush in his cheeks, excitement, not nerves as his head tilted back towards the center of the camp. "I'm so glad you came. I've been looking forward to sharing turnover with you."
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Post by Invisible on Oct 16, 2008 16:56:58 GMT -8
Cheeks turn redder than can be excused by a cold night when her hand is kissed and Genet’s feet shuffle just a tad in the snow. “Well, I’m sorry to have kept you waiting,” she tells him with a smile. She looks at Silvio almost shyly before glancing towards the fire and trying to spot Aleda. “Oh, we should go tell her for sure first, please?” If she wants to use Silvio’s sister as a sort of buffer at first, well, that’s just what she’ll do.
“Can you believe old man H’gar actually gave us the evening free?” she says before she loops her arm into the Caminar’s. “I have to be back a little after midnight, but no laps or chores or anything! Anquilith’s eaten and is watching the bowl so I’m really mostly free for the first time in forever!” And she plans to make the most of it as well. “And I could definitely use a drink to warm me up. It’s freezing. I cannot believe you wouldn’t rather be inside!”
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Post by Alsivor on Oct 17, 2008 11:03:16 GMT -8
"I'd wait a very very long time for you, Genet," Silvio said in a tone he probably meant to be steady but wandered off into slightly emotional as he took in the color in her cheeks and the quasi-shyness in her eyes. His arm tucked her in close beside him as she looped hers into his and he nodded. "All right, let's go find Aleda. It's nice and warm by the fires. There's the big main one and then several smaller ones, so it's not as bad outside here as maybe it could be," the Caminar explained. "And you know, Caminar, even when it's cold, we'd rather be out under the open sky."
There was a little pause and Silvio smiled at her, slid his arm free of hers to move it around her waist instead. "A free evening is a wonderful thing. I hope you'll stay a while. But let's get you something warm."
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Post by Invisible on Oct 17, 2008 16:38:59 GMT -8
“On a cold night being inside is the best place to be,” Genet says with a laugh. “Curled up somewhere warm with lots of blankets and something hot to drink is wonderful.” But here she is out in the cold and he’s welcome to make whatever assumptions he wants about it because all the weyrling does is glance at him from the corner of her eye. “Did you have to work today? I didn’t get to see hardly any of the games because stupid H’gar thought we were better off doing chores and lessons.” Clearly Genet thinks it was ridiculous to make them work.
When his arm went around her waist she moved closer to bump his hip with hers. “I’ll stay as long as I can. If Anquilith is content watching the others then I should be able to stay until it’s time to make it back before bed.” Nose wrinkling up she lets out a sigh. “If I’m late everyone will get in trouble. I can’t do that. I think no one likes me anyway.”
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Post by Alsivor on Oct 19, 2008 16:47:41 GMT -8
"On a cold night, the best place to be is under that quilt with good company," Silvio countered with a little laugh and gave Genet a little squeeze. "I did work today, my uncle is happy with the progress I'm making and he's letting me start to cut stones instead of just polishing them. I also made several lengths of chain and I'm getting better and keeping my links tight," he said, leading the way inward towards the bonfire. His free hand caught up his abandoned mug on the way as the moved towards light, food, drink and the deep pounding of the drums.
"I'll try very hard not to keep you too late," Silvio murmured into her ear as he and Genet approached the fire where Aleda stood, foot tapping with the beat of the music.
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Post by Invisible on Oct 20, 2008 9:33:12 GMT -8
The walk to the bonfire was done quietly for Genet. She had a lot on her mind and couldn’t think through it while carrying on conversation as well. So, she looked around wide-eyed like she might otherwise miss something. It was only when Silvio said he’d try not to keep her late that she spoke. Turning her head so she might whisper into his ear she told him, “What a shame.”
Then they were close enough for her to call out, “Aleda! Hi!” but she kept the rest of her words for when they came to a stop near her. “G’tet is at the Weyr with his wingmates, but promised to be by in a bit. He said if he took too long just go track him down in the living cavern or ask me to get Anquilith to nudge Kalpeth for you.”
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Post by Alsivor on Oct 23, 2008 6:25:51 GMT -8
Laughter, merry from Silvio and just before they reached Aleda he bent his head a little to whisper back: "I'd gladly keep you all to myself all night, but I would not want to get you and all the others in trouble for being selfish."
Then he was grinning over at his sister. "Aleda, look, she came!" Aleda turned, merriment in her eyes. "With the search that she made for her shoes, I do not think she would not have," the sabedoria said laughingly and stepped over to press a light kiss to Genet's cheek. "Thank you kindly for letting me know. I think I would like to eat and dance here a little and then I will walk up to the Weyr to find him."
Silvio nodded towards the tables laden with food and gave Genet a squeeze. "Eat, drink or dance first?" he asked, looking pleased beyond belief.
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