|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2009 10:48 am
They were nearly at the Kitchen now and the murmur of talking women, mixed with the noise of liquids boiling, knives chopping, and fires crackling began to make things a little more difficult to talk. The temperature also jumped from a sort of tranquil warmth to sweltering. Lynna ducked her head as she entered the kitchen.
"Well, breakfast hasn't quite started yet, but I'm sure my mother will get you something to eat."
She let the bag of salt slide from her shoulder and pushed it off to the side by a large rack of earthenware jars marked with symbols of spices or else just words describing the contents. If they were arranged nicely, it would be a beautiful set of dishes, but most of them were missing lids, or pushed to one side. Lynna reached for the one labeled "Salt" and using a knife that had been left on the shelf, slashed open the bag. She filled the little salt-pot and quickly placed it on the shelf. She looked over her shoulder at the head cook carefully - the woman didn't seem to be more upset than usual.
That done, she winked at Riordan. "Leave the salt here, and I'll find my mom." She tucked her hair behind her ears and smiled.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2009 5:59 pm
Kella had taken her sweet time finding all the spices on Briala's list, even though the cook had said specifically not to. The girl knew that she'd face, at the very least, a solid tongue-lashing from the older woman. But Kella could deal with it. She'd probably sit on a stool, arms folded against her chest, and a dark scowl on her face as Briala prattled on. The young Weyrbrat had received so many scoldings that she considered herself immune.
But the storerooms grew boring soon after Kella retrieved the last spice jar from high up on its almost-top shelf. She had shuffled up the tunnel slowly, weighed down with the several jars cradled as carefully as possible in her arms. She wasn't so sure that she'd make it all the way back to the kitchens without dropping one. At least the boy had been around to change the glows; Kella was grateful for the light that hadn't been there on the trip down. She saw Lynna as soon as she made it to the top, and immediately Kella frowned. Had the girl just gotten back up? The last time she'd seen her, Lynna had been on her way back to the kitchens. So what had Lynna gotten distracted by?
Kella's eyes drifted to the boy that was also standing in the kitchens. He looked vaguely familiar, but only as if Kella had seen him in passing once or twice. She stopped where she was, arms still full of spice jars, and shifted her weight to one hip. The young girl cleared her throat loudly, to get the young man's attention. "Hey, you wanna help with these? I'm a bout to drop 'em," she said roughly, struggling to shift them around comfortably.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 9:23 am
Lynna saw the girl approaching from the back entrance, and heard her plea for help. Even if she was talking to Riordan, Lynna couldn't help but rush forward and hold her hands out to catch some of the jars. There was absolutely no use in letting anything drop - not only would neither girl hear the end of it, but supplies were low enough as it was without ruining whole jars of precious spices.
Taking several of the jars from the top of Kella's load, she dodged over to the shelf to place them quickly. Lynna pushed several of the jars aside to make a place for Kella to put the rest.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 10:30 am
"Thanks," Kella said to Lynna after the older girl helped her with the numerous jars. Kella had shoved the rest of the jars up on the shelf haphazardly, in no particular order. She didn't see any reason to spend another ten minutes alphabetizing the spices, for someone else to find them quicker. It wouldn't help her at all, so why bother?
Kella shot a dirty glance to Riordan, frowning at the boy. Why hadn't he helped her? She turned up her nose and pointedly looked away from him, making herself look bratty and dramatic. She hadn't been assigned any other chores for the day, only to bring up those spices. So, Kella remained where the other two were, just milling around and avoiding more chores.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 10:55 am
Riordan had spaced out for a bit, having set the salt down. Surrounded by good smells, his mind was thinking to what delicious food could be making them... and paying less attention to his surroundings. He gave a bit of a start at Kella's plea for help, or more of demand... but was slow in reacting and Lynna ended up beating him too it.
He frowned as he was the target of a rather nasty glance and rolled his eyes a bit once she'd looked away. He couldn't help it that he was really hungry...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 11:14 pm
Lynna had long dealt with Kella's moods - worse now that she was of that certain age when no amount of logic would get through her young mind. She smiled at the younger girl, then jerked her head at Riordan.
"This way - they'll have the baskets set up over here for delivery to the top Weyrs."
While most of the Weyr was strongly encouraged to eat in the Lower Caverns, most high ranking Weyrdwellers (generally the Queens and their mates along with Wingleaders and certain others) had their food delivered via a complex pulley system that could get food nearly anywhere. Of course, one had to know where each opening was in the lower caverns, and while Lynna was no expert in the matter, she definitely knew that most of the early breakfasts wouldn't have done out yet - leaving them time to scoop up some fruit and freshly baked bread. "C'mon, let's go!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 7:00 am
Lynna was one of the few people that Kella could tolerate, and even enjoy her company, for extended periods of time. the girl was a guiding presence, one that kept Kella on the straight and narrow. Around Lynna, the young girl often felt ridiculous~ which, was a good thing, despite how it may sound. If Kella were throwing a fit, for whatever reason, around to overhear, Kella might stop what she was saying, bite her lip, and entertain the notion that she was being a little bratty.
This was no exception. She looked back and forth between Lynna and Riordan, pursing her lips thoughtfully. Maybe she had been a bit harsh on the boy, even though she hadn't said anything to him. It wasn't entirely his fault he hadn't helped her... Kella shrugged. She was distracted from her thoughts by Lynna's encouragement to get going. The young girl then realized, with grumbling emphasis from her stomach, that she was hungry! Had she eaten breakfast? Frowning, she couldn't remember, though she didn't think she had. "Yeah, breakfast sounds nice," Kella said with a forced smile. Give the girl some credit, she was trying to be nice and cheery!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 7:58 am
Riordan relaxed a bit in relief as Lynna came to the rescue. He'd been around the Weyr long enough to have heard about Kella's moods... and to hear that one should really avoid being the target of them. He was beginning to realize just how true those statements had been...
He grinned and followed Lynna to find some food. And Kella had stopped glaring at him. This day was getting better already.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 8:04 am
Lynna led the way to where the baskets were being prepared. Her mother was chatting up Briala over by the cooking fires, so no immediate harm would come in taking a small break. Trotting over to the table where a few older women were packing baskets with care, Lynna grabbed a grey ceramic plate and helped herself to a steaming hot chunk of bread with butter, some salt and herb-cured redfish and ignored the bowl of redfruit. They were hard as rocks this time of the turn, not to mention scarce enough that unless she really meant to eat the whole thing, it was wasteful.
Grinning broadly she bit into the warm, steamy bread, keeping an eye out for anyone who might tell them to get back to work.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 8:15 am
The smell of food wafting from the kitchens was enough to make Kella groan. Lynna's mother and Briala were busy talking with one another, she noticed. So, their break from chores would most likely go unnoticed. Kella followed Lynna's example and grabbed a plate, taking a big hunk of buttered bread and some of the same fish the other girl took. She sniffed it, took a small bite, and sighed in delight. It was delicious! For all Briala's scoldings and threats, the woman was an expert in the kitchens; Kella wouldn't know how she'd survive without her delicious cooking!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2009 2:10 pm
Riordan grabbed some bread and fish like the two girls, retreating with only a glance at the two women who were talking. Good, he wasn't going to be roped into any more chores... at least not for a few moments. He could at least get some food into his stomach.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
