Blossoms

Writers: Eimi, Yvonne
Date Posted: 20th April 2006

Characters: Kiomo, Thalia
Description: Thalia and Kiomo discuss place settings and gardens
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 11, day 3 of Turn 3

"All right, so then, are we agreed? The garnet table cloth and the
black placemats with the Hold's crest?" Kiomo asked as he jotted
another note down on his pad. Shards, if he had to look at just one
more place setting...

"Yes." Thalia nodded, then looked at the placemats again. "Wait...
maybe they're too dark. I don't know. Maybe the white tablecloth
would be better?"

"The white table cloth with the black placemats? Or garnet
placemats?" the Holder asked, trying to not to let his annoyance
show. Just how hard was it to finalize the _tablecloth_ color?

"Yes. No!" She bit her lip. "Black and white look so stark and- and
_classic_ together. Maybe if we add a bouquet of early flowers to
brighten things up..."

"I already have flowers written down," he said as he pointed to the
hide that was covered in notes that had been scratched out, only to
be written again, and scratched out again, and written once more.
How long was the business side of this meeting going to last?

"What kind of flowers? It'll have to be tulips; everything else will
clash with the decorations, unless it's white. Maybe small sprays of
lilies-of-the-valley... but they smell so strongly." Prettily, but a
little strong for when there was food.

"Well, like I said, I will trust your judgment for the flowers. I'm
much more familiar with more tropical varieties." He crossed out all
the _other_ types of flowers she had named and write down her two
_new_ ideas. "Yellow tulips would look nice on the garnet tablecloth
and black placemats, though. Its a good contrasting color that would
break up the darker hues."

"Yellow and garnet will clash." Even if it _was_ just the garnet
accents on the tablecloth... she sighed. "It's a shame that there's
nothing blooming in blue right now save the crocuses, and they're too
small to act as center pieces."

Kiomo almost opened his mouth to protest her proclamation that yellow
and garnet _clashed_, but he thought better of it. He didn't want to
get her started again. "You know what," he said putting the hide and
pen down. "I think we need to take a little bit of a break. We've
been at this a candlemark already and we are no closer to a decision
than when we started. I think we need to go looking for a little
inspiration, don't you?"

"You can go. I'll stay a little longer."

"No, now, come on," he said reaching over to grab her hand lightly
and grinning pleadingly. "We're supposed to be doing this together,
right? So lets go."

"We're supposed to be _working_ together," she reminded him. His hand
was distracting. Shards... _he_ was distracting. No man ought to look
that good and be unmarried. No wonder she couldn't concentrate on
tablecloths. Thalia smiled at him. "Nothing will get done if we run
off somewhere."

"Sure it will. We will be looking at lots of bright colors and get
lots of good ideas," he said pulling her hand gently as he stood up
from the table. "And we're obviously not getting anywhere _here_.
Its time to try a new approach."

The Lady sighed and tried to pin him with a stern look, but couldn't
quite manage. It was hard to be angry at him. "Like what?"

"A walk in the gardens, perhaps? A field? Somewhere with flowers.
Somewhere with _color_."

"Are you implying that it's _dull_ in here, Kiomo?" Thalia asked,
hiding a smile.

"Now now, none of that," he said with mock sternness. "This is
serious business."

The Lady arched her eyebrows and pursed her lips. "Shirking work is
now serious business? Isn't that somewhat contradictory?"

"The work is very serious," he said raising one finger as emphasis,
"however, the methods are... how should I put it... progressive."

Thalia sighed theatrically and allowed Kiomo to help her rise from
her seat. "Oh, very well. But only for a _short_ walk." Truth be
told, she could get out to stretch her legs as well. It sometimes got
stuffy locked up tight in a Hold.

"Oh, yes, of course," Kiomo nodded gravely. "We wouldn't want the
Holders to see us enjoying ourselves, now would we."

"The Holders see me enjoying myself often enough," she shot back.
"And Lord Ishek expects a dinner party."

"And a dinner party he shall have, no matter how long our walk is,"
he said in retort. Tucking her hand in the crook of his arm he began
leading her to the door. "Besides, you have a job to do. You have
to educate me on all these Garnet Valley flowers you keep talking
about. Obviously I need to learn more about the areas flora before I
can make a decision on what type of flowers we should grace our
tables with."

Thalia had a sneaking suspicion that he was no more interested in
flowers than in tablecloths. A small, mischievous smile drifted
across her face. If he wanted to learn about flowers, then by the
Egg, Kiomo would learn about flowers! "As you wish," she said.

"So where should we go in order to find the best flowers this time of
the season? The gardens or the fields?"

"Why don't we take a short tour through both the upper gardens and
the nearest fields?" Thalia said. "Then I can tell you _all_ about
what's growing in each of them."

"Sounds lovely," Kiomo smiled. "Which do you prefer, cultivated or
wild flowers?"

"Neither. Both are lovely and both serve their purpose."

"I've always been partial to wild flowers, myself," he said blinking
as they stepped out into the bright spring sunshine. "They're just
more... natural."

The air was warm and a light breeze caressed her cheek and blew her
skirts out in an undulating fan. Thalia smiled in spite of herself.
"I think I'm going to ask Ishek for a garden this turn..."

"My mother had a garden," Kiomo nodded. "It was her favorite place
to retreat to when the weather was good. I have many pleasant
memories of picnics there."

"My mother did too. We had roses and flowering bushes, and fruit
trees and a swing..." She sighed and allowed Kiomo to help her over a
puddle. "I hope that Lord Ishek and Penryn can find _somewhere_ for
me. Garnet Valley has been too long without a Lady Holder's touch."

"For something as important as that, I can guarantee there will be a
space," the Holder grinned. "Your son needs a nice place to play and
look for little bugs and get dirty."

"Yes, he does." **A garden...** she thought, tightening her grip on
Kiomo's arm.

"And if I'm not mistaken, you need place to play as well," Kiomo said
with a knowing smile touching his lips.

"Well- I, not really _play_," Thalia said, "but I do like to garden."

"Of course you do," he nodded turning to look straight at her with a
full appreciative smile. "Beautiful blossoms are what make a
garden."

The lady felt a flush spread across her cheeks and she carefully
lowered her eyes. "I- well... perhaps," she said, trying to regain
her sense of equilibrium... even though she suddenly wasn't sure
that she wanted to.

Last updated on the April 30th 2006

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Blossoms