|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri May 07, 2010 8:22 pm
The chitchat between dragonrider and passenger was lively, just as most harpers were, Ashmere was cheerful and in good temper; overall she was on her best behaviour, however she was not the one doing the entertaining on this trip; that was left to the large brown she was aboard as well as his rider. It seemed that there would be a ceremony soon any day now there was to be a hatching. Ashmere could not help but let the dragonrider tell her every detail that they wished to explain.
The gray eyed harper shifted her lute and the pack she wore that was fastened very securely to her back, she had everything that she owned in the small tote and would not enjoy it it was lost between. Yawning slightly she held her small hand against her mouth and tightened her grip on the rider with her other, she was enjoying the feel of his riding furs and hides that held the slightly bit of bodily warmth to it, she could not help but let a small fangish grin curl over her pale pink lips as they flew, she had never felt so happy in her nineteen turns, she felt safe and free aback the brown; whom she also enjoyed the feeling of, her hands when they were not gripping the rider adoringly soothed the scales of the massive creature, she was not sure whom she found more enjoyable, she opted that she kept the mental inquiries to the bare minimum.
The flight was smooth and with no need for stops, rider and passenger as well as dragon soon arrived at the Weyr, and by shells in good time, the young journeywoman as soon as long clawed feet set down the little harper found herself pulling wind-caused knots from her long bangs and being ushered to her new quarters to get settled, the Weyr compared to the places that she had previously lived was considered massive, she would have to take sometime in learning all the twists and turns of every hall and passage; that Ashmere knew would take time, but as the newest harper to the weyr she was certain she would become familiar with it soon enough.
Following instructions given by a weyrwoman the pale skinned brunette after she had set her things in her living quarters she walked with a bit of a stride that was perky and excited, she had been told to go speak with the Masterharper quickly the short haired girl found herself speeding down the passages she was told to follow to reach the man she sought.
Even though she was in her late teens she could easily be mistaken for being sixteen or so, simply due to her build; slender and small, she was not shock in the slightest when several weyrfolk stopped to ask her if she needed help or directions. Time and time again the petite girl politely declined the offers, what she really wanted was something to eat before meeting with the Masterharper of Malvren; shards a cup of klah would almost be enough to make her moan out in pleasure now that she thought of it.
Pausing in a long hallway Ashmere found herself blinking a bit, then sighed heavily, she really needed to pay more attention to what people told her, she had all but forgotten that she was supposed to take a turn back a few passages ago, why in Pern would anyone let someone so unfamiliar with the weyr just go and explore it all on their lonesome, then again now that Ashmere thought of it, hadn't the weyrwoman told her to stay in her chambers and the masterharper would come and fetch her. Blushing from embarrassment, the newest harper of the Weyr crossed her arms over her small chest and grunted in disdain with her own actions. Maybe if she hurried back, no one would be the wiser, but there was still the matter of food, klah, and washing her hands, she loved the large brown that she had arrived on, but for some odd reason he was slightly slick with a light oil, which in fact was driving her crazy, she needed to clean herself up before she met the Masterharper, it was improper to meet someone without being completely groomed well.
"Hm," Ashmere murmured softly, all she had to do was ask for directions to the baths then as how to get back to her chambers. Her right eye twitched with annoyed the scarred skin near her gray hue, surely she would not be so stubborn as to ask for assistance. "I can't just go up to the weyrfork and ask for help, what sort of deadglow harper would they think me?" Ashmere questioned herself, then with a fangish grin the meek girl pulled her lute from her back and cleared her throat. Why not look like an amazing harper and play a bit while walking, then start a nice little conversation with a local, and of course nonchalantly finish the meeting with some directions for a wayward harper. Nodding to herself Ashmere hummed a few notes, before fully warming up with a bit of scale work on the stringed instrument, once she was pleased with the sweet tone it gave her she opened her mouth and sang from her belly, just as she had always been told to do by her vocal masters.
"Atop the mighty Weyr Ocean wave crashing ever so near With thread fall, the fall of man The dragons flame and dance blaze the skies clear O' hear the bells, and strong wing flaps Thread fall came and went Atop the mighty Weyr"
The treble was first soprano, but the octave on key notes was dropped to second soprano for inflection, even though she sang beautifully, the highest notes the little harper could not hit since she had hit puberty some turns ago. Yet her lute strummed the higher pitch sweetly, the melody was not a somber one, but rather a joyful one full of pride in the riders and their dragon partners.
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 08, 2010 12:50 am
Safira was wandering the halls trying to find her way back to her room when she heard someone singing. She paused, her Harper senses tingling. Closing her eyes, she let her ears guide her to the one making the beautiful sounds. As she got closer, she slowed down, not wanting to make herself known just yet. She stopped completely, hiding just behind a corner to listen. The singer finished the verse and Safira sighed. Since leaving Harper Hall, she'd had yet to meet another Harper in the Weyr. She had to make a good impression here. It wasn't that she couldn't make friends with others, but with another Harper they had so much in common already, so much they could talk about. There wouldn't be as many awkward silences, if any.
Taking a steadying breath, Safira stepped out from her hiding place trying to act like she hadn't just been listening. She smiled at the girl and spoke first, a first for the shy fifteen year old. "That was quite beautiful," she said, her voice soft, nearly a whisper.
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 08, 2010 1:12 am
Ashmere smiled as she plucked her lute playfully, showing her skill in left hand, the grin she wore was friendly; but the intensity of her gaze that fell onto the shy girl was nothing short of passion, her charmingly crooked smile almost wolfish with her slightly fanged eyeteeth over lapsing the top of her lower lip ever-so-slightly.
With well-trained etiquette the older harper bent at the waist and bowed deeply to the younger member of her craft.
Of all people to my rescue, a little harper. Today my luck truly must be well. Ashmere thought fondly, the inward reflection was for only a moment, standing she straighten her tunic then mentally cursed herself for getting her oily fingers on her finery. It was too late now, but in all honesty she actually didn't see any stains or marks, indeed today was a good one.
Clearing her throat slightly the brunette spoke, her voice was feminine but not a high pitched tone, in fact her voice when speaking was a medium tenor. With her large half grin Ashmere chuckled softly, then tilted her head downward slightly, a show of a light nod, gratitude was certainly what the manner stated.
"Thank you very much," the elder of the two affirmed with a breezy fond, pleasant tone as she spoke, her oddly pale hues sparkled for a moment in the dim glow of the hallway, with brisk strides she ambled in front of the girl and held her hand out firmly and with a notable air of confidence. "The name is Ashmere, harper, journeywoman. And you my dear, what may I call you, and I am certain a girl so soft spoken must have a wonderfully bold singing voice, am I right?"
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 08, 2010 1:33 am
Safira blushed deeply at the look she got from the older girl. Belatedly, she remembered her manners and mimicked the bow. As she bent from the waist, her thick red braid slid over her shoulder and hung to her waist. As she stood straight again, she let her eyes slide over the other Harper, taking in all the details she could. She nodded her welcome, dipping her head just a bit.
She almost backed away as the older girl came nearer, a bad habit she'd never gotten rid of, but she stayed put and took the offered hand lightly shaking it. "P-pleased to meet you, Journeywoman Ashmere. I am Safira, apprentice Harper." Her blush warmed her cheeks again with Ashmere's last comment. "I wouldn't call it...bold," she murmured, a small smile playing on her lips.
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 08, 2010 1:50 am
Taking the offered hand the gray eyed harper bent again, this time her long uneven bangs fell into her pretty face obscuring her features, tenderly she gave the lower ranked redhead a kiss on the back of her hand; on the flat just above her middle knuckle. Without raising from her bow Ashmere lightly shifted her head so that her hues locked onto that of the girl, a certain serious glint to her pale hues.
"Never downplay your talents young harper," she retorted softly then let her face brighten with a mirthful grin, for a moment longer she held the girl's small hand, the skin was smooth and warm, surely she didn't play any instruments, her hands and fingers were far too managed for that sort of task, with an inaudible sigh she released the girl's hand politely, having to almost force her own hand to linger no longer than what it had already. "Safira, hm, what a lovely name, truly. It is." Ashmere lightly worded before stood again to her full height, which much to her dismay was the same, or dare say near the same as that of the red haired girl in front of her.
Absentmindedly she strummed her lute and lightly hummed one of the teaching songs, if she played her charms well enough, maybe the girl would take the bait and sing for her the tune that all harpers, and children knew.
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 08, 2010 4:00 am
"I'd been told to look out for the journeyman getting posted here," Sevya murmured, eyebrow raised in gentle amusement as she stepped into the corridor, nodding to both ladies. "Wasn't sure *who*, though - but I thought it'd be someone older." She shook her head ruefully, wavy black locks shifting under her dark green headscarf. "They should have told me you'd arrived; I would have come to greet you."
For a moment, the dark-skinned girl frowned slightly, clearly trying to place her fellow Harper. Her dark eyes narrowed as she thought. "You look to be my age, but I heard the journeyman getting posted had more time on the road. and just came off doing a round of teaching..."
Sevya trailed off, one finger tapping her lips thoughtfully. "So, you must be Journeywoman Ashmere. Your reputation precedes you - all good, mind." The young woman stuck out a hand in greeting. "Junior Journeywoman Sevya," she said, with a quick smile. "Archivist and mediator. Welcome to Malvren, and we're glad you're here. I've been helping teach, but I've no talent for it - now I can give that over to you!" She was joking, really; she'd still help, of course, but Ashmere could take the fore on that.
Despite claiming the rank of journeyman, for now she didn't wear the rank loop signifying that; instead she wore the simple white loop designating her a weyr candidate.
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 08, 2010 4:28 pm
Ashmere startled briefly for a moment, her left hand daftly struck a sour note on her lute; her E string snapped, instantly her mouth pursed then a soft sigh ushered from her soft pink lips. She was actually very pleased that they had sent someone to get her, and she was even more so pleased that the person found her just in time to make her seem less air-headed and aloof.
Letting her now temporarily broken instrument sling to her back with the aid of a thick brown leather strap that had certainly seem a lot of harsh turns; the little harper gave the dark skinned journeywoman a mild lopsided smile. Her thin face seemed to show some signs of exhaustion, there was a bit of bruising around the sockets of her eyes which seemed to enchant them, making the luster in the gray hues sparkle ever-so-slightly in the dim light of the glow baskets, her intelligent eyes certainly showed that Ashmere had a bit more experience as a harper and was not as green as she appeared.
"Sevya, I do so hope whatever you have heard has been in well-kept tongue," playfully countered the extremely slim youth as she shook the out stretched hand of the other harper, out of the corner of her rounded eyes she cast a sweet lingering glance towards the much younger girl as if to reassure her that she had not been forgotten in the slightest. Redirecting her vision the messy haired brunette lightly bowed towards Sevya. "And you are very correct, my name is Ashmere, journeywoman, I do believe it is vocals and composition that they lay me claim to," at that Ashmere released the girl's hand then let out an overly dramatic sigh. "I just flew in a few moments prior from an older hold, I have been on business for about two turns now, and believe me if I can teach deadglows to pound out tunes with drums and sing the learning ballads, teaching harpers who actually have any sort of skill will be like being partnered with a dragons, complete bliss. In comparison of course!"
Chuckling lightly the young harper glanced towards the young redheaded girl then with a smirk placed her hand on the girl's rounded shoulder and gave it a light squeeze, again reassurance, she had learned it easier to sneak touches and caresses from the younger ones, it seemingly was physical contact that was the most approving and welcomed when a merit had been earned. Her hand lightly lingered before she patted the girl and retracted her petite hand.
"Unfortunately Safira even if I do become your teacher I mustn't play favourites, even if you were the first right and proper harper that greeted me," she lightly winked, a coy playful action then just mirthfully shook her head causing her messy brown bangs to obscure her pretty pale face, her jagged scarred however seemed to be slightly red, going between had irritated the sensitive marred skin, the harper however seemed to pay no attention to it, absentmindedly she however continuously stroked the spot just above her right eye where the feature started and was deepest; yet her expression didn't waver into one of pain or distress. She had long ago trained herself to show no such emotion to the light ache that sometimes ebbed up from the childhood scar. Pursing her lips again the girl in disheveled clean blues lightly moved her hand from her mark down to her chest where she lightly buffed her nails then looked at them as if forgetting the other two harpers completely. "I need a new E string-----oh right------Sevya, did the master harper give you orders to give to me, or should I make good and just follow you around like a hungry flit?"
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 09, 2010 9:42 pm
Safira's cheeks were burning; she'd never met a male who would kiss her knuckles, let alone a female. The experience was...interesting. Nodding quickly, she squeaked, "Y-yes, ma'am." She'd heard that particular command from her parents often enough, and it had never stuck. She was just too modest. "Th-thank you..." she murmured at the compliment of her name. Her mother had named her after the ice blue color of her eyes. She watched Ashmere strum the tune and smiled as the familiar words leapt easily to her lips.
Honor those the dragons heed, In thought and favor, word and deed. Worlds are lost or worlds are saved From those dangers dragon-braved.
Her voice was smooth and rich, her pitches ringing clear in the high alto range. Her father had once called it 'soothing,' and she had been asked on numerous occasions to the nurseries of friends to help calm their crying little ones. The song that Ashmere had chosen happened to be one of Safira's favorites. She loved all of the songs and stories to do with dragons, especially those that sang of their great heroics. If the older Harper had chosen any other song, Safira would not have taken the bait. She hated singing alone.
Another voice sounded behind her; Safira gasped softly and pursed her lips. Speaking of singing for an audience...She turned to see yet another Harper joining them. Manners came quickly to the youngest of the group this time and she bowed to the second Journeywoman Harper she'd met that night. She certainly hadn't expected to see so many of her fellows here, but it was pleasant surprise. Taking a few steps back, she let the older Harpers greet each other, content to take a place in the background for now. Ashmere squeezed her shoulder a few moments later and the blush that had receded came back slowly, coloring her pale cheeks a light pink at first, then brighter as Ashmere spoke of favoritism.
"Oh, no, ma'am! I wouldn't expect you to play favorites!" she said hurriedly. She'd only stumbled upon Ashmere on accident, honest! She didn't expect anyone to choose her as a favorite anything. Pursing her lips, she looked from Ashmere to Sevya and back again, wondering if she should return to getting back to her quarters or if she wanted to stay with the other Harpers. Despite being the youngest of the trio and still an apprentice, Safira felt more comfortable with these two than she had in all her stay so far. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her.
"Oh! Journeywoman Ashmere, I have an extra E-string in my room," she said and flushed; it wasn't like her to offer information so freely. It must be the familiar feeling of Harpers. "Um, that is...if you would like to stop by l-later to r-retrieve it..." she murmured, running her hands over her braid that was still slung over her shoulder.
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 3:46 am
Sevya chuckled. "Well said, journeywoman, though I assure you that I haven't run into anyone quite THAT dim; there'll be no need to treat skulls like message-drums here." She smiled in Safira's direction. "After all, they wouldn't bring deadglow apprentices in, now would they? Very nice voice, Safira, keep in practice there - and you BETTER keep an eye on that one, Safira. The Hall would be quite unhappy if you lost a voice like that!"
The harper shook her head. "But, to answer your question - He didn't send me after you, but he did send me to look out FOR you. And scuttlebutt does run wild about who's picking up who where, when it's a craftsman coming to the weyr."
One hand indicated the steps rising into the weyr a little way away. "Like I said, in case you got lost. Up that way and to your left; follow the sounds of a very aggrieved man mumbling about records penmanship these days. That'll probably be Master Olwen, unless the Weyrwoman's voice has changed," she added with a grin. "There's no hurry, he is busy and knows you're probably hungry - so feel free to grab something to eat before you go up."
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|