Everybody Loves Lu

Jenna discovers she's not the only one with feelsing for L'nan. A surprise from an old friend.

Jenna - Wednesday, March 27, 2002, 6:56 PM
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Your location's current time: 20:08 on day 16, month 9, Turn 39, of the Tenth Pass. It is a autumn evening.

Inner Caverns(#944RJL$)
Lower than the Living Cavern above, this room is still a large, bustling place. Hearths heat some of the areas here, allowing elderly and ill residents to rest here rather than mount the steps to the Living Cavern above. Rooms open out to the storerooms, the children's areas, the private rooms of staff members and some of the residents. Laundry rooms and bathing areas down one set of stairs draw near-constant traffic throughout the day.
Two long corridors lead off of here, one to the east and one to the south, going to the crafters' and staff quarters respectively. Noise drifts out from the curtain to the northeast that leads to the residents dorms, and a small door to the north leads to the guest room. A short flight of stairs to the west leads back to the Living Caverns.
Contents:
Milque
Domino Table

Milque is looking at the domino table, more as if noticing how it's gotten bits of food worked into the seams of the wood at one corner than anything else about it.

Jenna comes out of the records room, catching a sneeze in a handkerchief. She blows her nose, offering a faintly muffled, "Evening, Milque," to the weyrwoman.

Milque looks up and smiles, "In there stirring up the dust, Jenna?" She gives one more poke at the corner that has her attention, then pulls her hand away and clasps them together so she doesn't go back to fiddling with the table again.

Jenna says ruefully, "Feels like that's about all I was stirring up. I don't kow how Kate and Peros stand it in there all day every day. I'd go starkers inside a sevenday." She blinks at the domino table, but evidently doesn't see anything wrong with it, "So what're you up to this evening?"

Milque smiles and looks at the table again, then up, "I'm trying to help with the cooking as much as I can, without getting in the cooks way. But they do so need the help. I just finished kneading dough for the mornings baking, though I don't think I should have used this table."

Jenna chuckles, coming over, "Why - oh." She nods slightly as she looks down at it, and considers. "Maybe a knife blade'd get it out, though it might scratch the wood. I've been staying as far away from all that as I can. I'll help in the burned part, but I doubt Master Jorenan would like me actually contributing /more/ smoke and fire to the weyr than we've already had."

Milque smiles, "I don't want to leave it in there though, it'll dry and harden then it'll never come out. So you don't find yourself at home in the kitchens?" She can't help but reach down and poke at the stuck dough again, "Do you think you could get me a knife? It's worth a try."

Jenna pulls the one at her belt out, peers at it, and mutters something. Too wide. "Or a fork, that might work better and not scratch it." She chuckles, "I haven't improved any since we were candidates, I'm afraid, Milque. And Norri's just as happy to have me out from under foot of the cooks. I wouldn't want to upset that master baker. He's got a temper," she whistles, and then says, "I'll be right back, and grab a fork from the living cavern."

Milque smiles and laughs just a touch, "They both have quite a temper if you get underfoot when they're trying to get something done. But that's just the bad with the good. Oh, yes please, a fork might be just the thing for this."

Jenna comes back after a few moments and presents the fork with a flourish. "Your fork, m'lady." She chuckles. "I could barely keep the spits turning when the kitchen was in top working order - I'd shudder to think of the mess and burned food that would result from cooking in the living caverns, or down by the pits. At least outside, the smoke could disperse," she offers in amusement.

Milque giggles as she takes the fork, "Although you might get rescue parties running in from the hold thinking we were trying to burn the weyr down again." She turns and starts to poke at the crease in the wood that caught the dough, a bit of work then she smiles, a small bit of dough retrived, "Success! Thank you Jenna, the fork was just what it took."

Jenna laughs. "At least I've gotten better at cleaning over the turns." She adds, amused, "They've all been talking. The theories from some of the outlying cotholds are are half fixed that auntie Emmaline was either drunk, flight scattered or just plain too old to work, because you know we work out people half to death here, and that would *never* happen in a hold." She rolls her eyes. "Happens more often than not, I'd say, but I just keep smiling and telling them that at least she's fine. Goods are replaceable, said the weyrleaders, people aren't. That tones 'em down some."

Milque smiles, "I happen to agree with that, though I suspect there are some Lord Holders out there that think the other way around on that issue." She offers the fork back as she sticks the bit of retrived dough into one of her pockets for later disposal.

Jenna shakes her head at the fork, "Just leave it there and I'll put it away when I go get my mug of just b'fore bed. Well, The holder at Peyton's a disagreeable sort, but at least it's a minor hold. Ruatha and Boll aren't bad, nor is Fort, really. But I don't know about the others over Pern. My brothers have had some trouble over Benden and Nerat way with hidebound Lords," she admits.

Milque puts the fork down on the table and smiles, "Well, of the holders I've had to deal with, Lord Crom is probably the worst. Although he's not too bad in some ways, he will talk and talk and talk your ear off about his runners, or his newest child. Or why the weyrs should be more self sufficient, that's one not to get him on."

Jenna grimaces. "He'll be worse as the pass ends out then, I imagine. The weyrleader and I got to talking a bit about that today, actually. I don't know *where* this turn has gone. Seems like it was turnover only yesterday."

Milque wrinkles her nose, "I know, of course, he's not the youngest of holders. And I think his eldest is a bit more reasonable."

You say "Telgar's the one that has to deal with him most often then, aren't they? Well, we can hope the hold'll go to that son then. Going to be a lot of changes. I honestly can't wait. Means we get to have the run of Pern - no pun intended there." She grins, "It'll be a relief not to have to worry about Fall schedules."

Milque shakes her head a little, "It's 'reaches that has to deal with them. I had more than my fair share of listening to him ramble when I was an assistant up there working on tithe records." She smiles at the thought of the end of fall, "I don't even want to think about it too much, it's still a long way away, especially for all those in the fighting wings. Even if we're exceptionally lucky, some of them still won't make it to see the end of the falls."

Jenna ohs, "Reaches, right. I've never been up there, actually." She nods a bit to the last statement, "Don't want to jinx it, huh? I can understand that. Still, Fort's wings seem fairly charmed since P'ter took over. He's rather a good man, I think."

Milque smiles, "I agree with you there, P'ter is a solid Weyrleader. Not that F'ren was a bad one, mind you, but P'ter has a feel for the whole weyr I think. I feel good knowing he's in charge."

Jenna nods. "I never really got to know F'ren well. I knew Miren better, but." She shrugs. "At least from the ground, he seems to be doing well. How are you? D'zel given in and shaved yet?"

Milque shakes her head, "Not that I've seen, he hasn't shaved yet. That's fine with me, if he wants to go after the girls that like that rugged look, well that's just fine with me." She huffs a little, "Besides, I think L'nan is twice as cute as D'zel any day."

Jenna grins broadly at that, "He is. All those curls," she agrees. "But even more independant when you get down to it, I'd wager." She rolls her eyes goodnaturedly. "What is it with men, anyway? Either they ignore you, ot they treat you like some holdbred girl that will faint if she takes more than two steps unaided."

Milque giggles a bit, "I wouldn't be surprised at all. Neither one of them seem like the settling down type either. Or the third option, they treat you like some monster that will break all their knuckles if they step out of line." She smiles just a little, "Of course, then they might be actually getting things right when the realize that."

Jenna laughs. "Exactly! And no, Lu's definately not the settling type. Though he's decided to become a shadow for a bit. It'd be sweet if it weren't so exasperating. Apparently he's heard St'min's decided I'll be the next to grace his furs." She rolls her eyes in a clear 'as if' expression. "Naturally, between him and Lu, I've no say in the matter."

Milque giggles, "St'min? From what I've heard there isn't much in his furs to be graced by."

Jenna snickers. "There's that, and then there's all sorts of glowing stories - all told by his wingmates, mind you, and not by the parade of caverns girls that's been through 'em. I'd side with the 'not much there' theory myself."

Milque laughs, "I don't believe the stories from the wingmates, they all talk each other up. I think it's some kind of conspiracy to make them all sound like fabulous lovers."

Jenna suggests, "Maybe that's all they are is talk. *I* think St'min's just saying it to get a rise out of Lu. And it's not like I can't handle myself. /That's/ what irks me. I'm hardly a brainless little twit who'll fall into the furs of any bronzer that looks my way." Her ears are a trifle pink as she says this.

Milque turns a little pink herself, "I wouldn't say that they're all talk. A few of them do know what they're doing I would think." She tries to sound like she's just supposing, but the ring of truth is hard to avoid.

Jenna clears her throat. "Well, I'd imagine *some* would know. It's a mathematical impossibility for all of them to be as thick as wherries. Still, I think Lu should give me some credit."

Milque smiles, "I think he should to, but it's hard to tell what is going on in his head sometimes. I haven't figured it out yet."

Jenna chuckles. "I don't even try any more. It *is* sweet, but so frustrating."

Milque smiles, "He is sweet, but I think his heart is still as slippery as an eel."

Jenna mms. "Lu? Well, I don't think it's intentional. He... doesn't trust people easily is all."

Milque smiles and looks off, "I guess that is it. I can't say I'm of a different mindset either, only one I really trust all the time is Elynth now. Speaking of her, I should go tend to this itch she's been complaining about. It's been good talking to you Jenna."

Jenna nods. "You too, Milque. Take care. And try to get D'zel to shave." Her tone is amused on this last.

Milque laughs, "I've tried all I'm going to, he's not my weyrmate to chase after."

Milque climbs up the stairs to the Living Cavern.
Milque has left.