Surprised

Writers: Jane, Kaysea
Date Posted: 29th October 2007

Characters: Rikka, Misara
Description: Rikka decides to visit the tavern and meets Misara.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 7, day 18 of Turn 4

Rikka thought it would be the perfect day for what she had planned.
Snowing, windy, and most everybody was indoors enjoying their meal unless they had to be out at midday. The journeywoman didn't have to be, but she wanted to be; she wanted to stick her nose into the Vintner Hall's tavern. Just to see what it was like.

She certainly didn't want to go there in the evenings when people -
mainly men, if they were locals - were drinking. That would just be asking for trouble. But during the day ... The place should be far less busy (if it was open at all, and Rikka hadn't thought to ask anybody if it was) and nobody ought to have over-indulged.

As it was the place was almost empty when she opened one of the double doors and stepped inside, brushing what she could of the loose snow off her clothing before she looked around.

Misara had been busy all morning cleaning rooms and making beds, she had come down to the Tavern to make up the special siderooms, before stopping for lunch. One or two tables were occupied, mainly by locals, though one was a stopover visiting the local holdings. The sound of the door opening, and the swift icy breeze that blew in drew her attention, at first thinking it was another local coming in for a noonday meal, but it was a young woman. Misara found her eyes widening when she realised it was a female crafter, it had been turns since she had met a female crafter, she couldn't hide her surprise.

Dumping the tablecloths and cutlery up on the bar, Misara turned a welcoming smile on the woman. "Welcome to Bhervehan's Tavern, may I help you?" she asked, stepping forward.

Rikka hoped she looked suitably apologetic as she responded to the other woman's look of surprise. "Am I where I'm not supposed to be? Is the tavern not properly open yet? I just wanted to see what it was like,"
she admitted.

"No, no come in." Misara beckoned her closer, "Sorry, I'm just surprised to see a crafter, well, a female crafter." She flushed a little in embarrassment, "Sorry I didn't mean to offend you." Her pulse quickened a little, was there hope for her too, here at the Hall.

"I'm not offended," Rikka assured her as she stepped further into the large room and looked around. "And lots of people are surprised. I'm a technician, though, and our Hall is governed from the North." She looked back at the woman. "That's why we have women crafting."

"Oh, I thought all crafts had their own Halls down here now, I er, didn't realise." Some things hadn't changed, that was obvious. For a moment or two she had hopes that the turns she had spent in the North had meant some changes had occurred in the Southern lands, but it hadn't been so. "But please, can I get you something to eat, or to drink?" she asked, pulling out a chair at the nearest table and indicating the journeywoman should take a seat.

"Oh. I suppose so. Does it have to be wine?" At midday that seemed a little too much for Rikka.

"No, not at all." Misara shook her head, a smile on her lips, "we have some lovely roast herdbeast for the noon meal; and you can have your choice from a selection of fresh juices, klah, herb infusions or wine and beer."

Rikka patted the purse in her pocket, thinking of the marks it contained. "Could you tell me how much a meal and klah would cost?" she asked hesitantly.

"I'll have to go ask," Misara answered, slightly embarrassed. "I, erm, don't normally serve in here, so I'm not familiar with the prices, I -
er, clean the rooms upstairs mainly," she said almost apologetically.
Things had been so much easier in the north, instead of her being not much more than a drudge she would have been on par with this crafter, but it was a waste of time thinking of that now. "I'll just go and find out."

Misara returned a few moments later and mentioned the price of the meal.
She paused, waiting for the assent of the journeywoman, then could hold in her curiosity no longer. "How do you manage around the Hold and Hall, being a woman crafter, do they allow you to practise your craft?"

"I'm contracted to the Hold," Rikka said simply. "They needed journey-ranked technicians and there were very few who were available to move out here." She smiled, sure her mischievous humour about the situation wouldn't offend the other woman. "It was me or nothing, but I'm sure they gave 'nothing' lots of consideration before deciding."

"Oh." Misara felt her hopes being crushed. "So, there's no chance for other female crafters then?" She had barely been away from the Tavern over the months since she had arrived, and knew only a little of the politics within the Hall - just enough to suspect female crafters were ridiculed and worse.

"As far as I know the Craft Ban is still in effect, though the Harper Hall ... I can't really speak for any of the others. Just the Technician's Hall, and we've always had women. I'm sorry. Did you want to craft?"

Misara looked cautiously around the Tavern to see who may be watching, or even more importantly listening. She hadn't shared her secret with anyone since arriving at the Hall, should she chance it now? Even her children weren't aware of their mothers secret. She hesitated, then shook her head. "No, not me. I was ... never mind." she shook her head again. "What can I get for you to eat?" she asked, changing the subject entirely.

"I'll have the herdbeast roast and klah, thank you," Rikka said, aware that some moment had passed but not sure what that moment had been about. "And your name? I'm Rikka."

"I'll get you your meal in quick time. My name is Misara and I'm pleased to meet you Rikka."

"As I am to meet you," the journeywoman replied.

Last updated on the December 2nd 2007

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Surprised