I'll Drink To That
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Eimi, Noola
Date Posted: 1st June 2009
Characters: Ariavin, Daigoro
Description: Two old friends begin to reconnect over a couple of beers and some conversation.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 3, day 5 of Turn 5
Notes: Mentioned: Cinale
Mentor Approved
Ariavin hesitated just outside the Tavern doors. He really needed to get himself under control or this was going to turn out very badly and the last thing he wanted was for this to turn out badly. He'd felt a lot like he was living without some vital part of himself for the past few months and now, there was the chance to fix it. To repair the damage he'd done in his ridiculous bid to change what, apparently, could not be changed.
A deep breath and a long moment focused on projecting the sort of cheer that one old friend would express in meeting up with another after having drifted apart later and Ariavin pushed the door open. A quick glace around and he spotted his old friend sitting at a table near the bar. For a tiny moment he just looked. However he quickly shook himself and headed over to join his friend at the table, waiving at one of the serving girls on the way.
Daigoro grinned as he saw his friend walking towards him. "There you are," he called, waving him over and standing to his feet. "It's been too long, Ariavin. Much too long." The Hallsecond happily reached out his hand to grip his old friends and give it a hearty shake. "A beer then?" he asked, and nodded to the girl without waiting for a reply. "Have a seat! Tell me what you've been up to all these months!"
Ariavin drew up a chair and took a seat, almost, but not quite, directly in front of Daigoro. "Working, mostly. Your vintners have kept me busy, needing a steady stream of new barrels and kegs." He'd also been working on a new design which, he hoped would streamline the barrels. Allowing for more wine to be stored in a smaller space - without ruining the effect of the barrel on the taste of the final product. So far, he was frustrated with his efforts. The latest trial seeped - the wood being too thin. But of course, none of this was the truth. It would have to do, however. "How have things been with you, then?"
"Great," the Hallsecond said with an overly enthusiastic smile which quickly faultered as he looked up at his old friend. He sighed deeply, his fingers curling around the handle of his mug once more. "Well... mostly. I don't know if you heard that Cinale and I have been trying to have a baby, but she lost one a few months ago. It's really been hard on her."
Ariavin sighed mentally, put back into the spot of giving Diagoro love advice. On the one hand, it did please him that the Hallsecond valued his input and relied on his listening ear. On the other, constantly discussing Diagoro's love life with his, admittedly beautiful, wife was worse than depressing. Still, it was better than not talking to the other man at all and Ariavin did care about him and want him happy.
"I imagine it has been hard on you as well."
Daigoro waved it off, deciding that it wasn't something to bother his friend about. Not on their first meeting in what seemed like forever. "We'll get through it. But what about you, then?"
He debated pushing Diagoro for more details. It was obvious to the Cooper that his friend needed someone to talk to about this. But, in the end, he decided not to push. He didn't want to strain their fragile reconnection straight from the start either. "Things are going well between the wife and myself." In fact, his wife had told him that she -thought- she might be expecting; said it was too early to tell herself, but she was fairly certain and would be making an appointment soon for a healer to confirm. He didn't want to share that tidbit of information right now though. Not after the confession his friend had just made.
"I know she'd enjoy some company, why don't you bring Cinale and have dinner with us soon?"
"Sounds good to me! And I'm sure Cinale would love a chance to have someone else cook for her for once." One of the drawbacks of being married to Hall's cook was that she rarely had that chance. "And you can show me how your charred barrel project turned out. Are you still persuing your Masters?"
Ariavin smiled absently at the serving girl when she returned with their drinks and took a quick sip of the beer before nodding in reply. "If I can get my design to work properly, I'm hoping to submit it soon for consideration." He'd been working on this project for several months now and the idea for it for longer than that.
"I'm sure they'll be impressed," Daigoro smiled reassuringly as he clinked his glass against his friends. "Cheers to that."
"I'll drink to that!" Ariavin grinned at his friend before taking another drink. He was drinking to other, more bittersweet things as well, though they were left unspoken.
Last updated on the June 21st 2009