Eil's 15th Turnday Present!
Cast of Characters:
Ylisa
Ylisa is tall and slender, with searching ice-blue eyes and long lashes set in
a slim, pointed face. The palest of blonde hair has been cut with precision
into a short style with a side parting. Her complexion is fair, with a light
golden tan from the Istan sun. Long legs and an upright carriage give her a
dignified appearance, and she moves with easy grace.
Ylisa is wearing a short-sleeved, ankle-length dress made from a fine, soft,
blue-grey sisal that flows easily as she walks. A round-necked close-fitting
bodice gives way to a fuller skirt that allows free movement, while a
half-belt in the same fabric, tied at the back, serves to give shape at the
waistline. It's a typical Ylisa outfit, cut to flatter her slim figure. Over
the dress is a short sleeveless waistcoat in a slightly deeper blue, its front
embroidered with stylised floral patterns in a mixture of bright blues and
greens. Round her neck is a simple necklace: three beads of opaque harper-blue
glass on a fine grey thong. Flat sandals with narrow straps of grey-dyed
wherhide complete the outfit.
Ylisa's shoulder knot identifies her as a Senior Journeyman in the Harper Craft.
She is a young adult of about 26.
Mireilla
Long, klah colored hair with auburn highlights hangs in soft, neatly trimmed
waves down Eil's back to her waist. Her clear, tan complexion shows the blush
of high cheek bones exposed to the Istan sun. She is small boned but more
voluptuous and nubile than petite and delicate. Eil appears to stand slightly
above five feet tall, and her short fingernails have been rounded and buffed.
A round, naturally colored, clay, tenor ocarina hangs from a long, thin, black
thong around Eil's neck.
In a figure flattering, shift of some clinging, harper blue material with a
waist length jacket, Eil is ready for work. A brown firelizard is perched on
her shoulder.
She wears her Harper Junior Apprentice knot with pride.
She is a teenager of about 15.
@sweep
Samantha is a puppet that belongs to Torlan .
Nightshade is a firelizard but probably isn't listening..
Bert is a firelizard that looks to Jueann [connected].
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You stand up from Eil's Bunk.
Female Apprentice Dorms
You go to the Dormitory Lounge.
Sipisttoo> Mireilla walks to the Balcony Hallway.
Nip> From the balcony above, Mireilla walks to the Harper Lounge.
Harper Lounge
A few chairs are scattered at odd intervals around this room, mostly soft,
comfortable armchairs, with a few wooden ones off against the walls. The
center of the area holds a cluster of sofas, arranged with a carefully
sculpted haphazard appearance around a low wooden table. The glowlight shines
off somewhat uneven walls, which sparkle with bits of bright mineral. A table
against the wall holds some bottles of various beverages and a few trays of
neat snacks. Doors leading off the room lead to various harper private
residences.
Observing from the mantlepiece are two firelizards.
You see Samantha here.
Ylisa is here.
Obvious exits:
Balcony Hallway Rooms Alesa's Room
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Mireilla steps inside the door and looks around with a slight frown.
Ylisa is sitting in a large armchair, marking exercises. She's got the
unmarked ones balanced on one arm of the chair, the marked ones on the other,
and she's resting the one that she's currently correcting on a folded writing
tablet. Who needs tables! Hearing someone enter, she looks up. "Mireilla!
Just the person. Have you got a few minutes?"
Mireilla smiles briefly. "Sorry. I was looking for Master Car- ..." she stops
before even finishing a name, "but he is obviously not here. So, I think I am
free for an hour or more."
Ylisa gives the girl a friendly smile and waves in the direction of a nearby
chair. "Have a seat. This is a good excuse to ignore my marking for a bit."
To prove her point, she picks up both piles of scripts and the one currently
in progress, and returns the lot to her bag. "Those can wait!"
Mireilla pulls out the chair and sets her instrument case on the floor near her. "Is there
something I can do to help?" She shows a puzzled expression as the hides are
set aside.
Ylisa settles herself comfortably with her hands resting in her lap. She's
still smiling. "Well, Master Jueann asked me to have a chat with you. Tell me
how old you are now, Mireilla."
Mireilla reolls her eyes away to think as she automatically places a fingernail
in her mouth and then stops to correct those old habits. "I am currently 15
turns, M'am." She suddenly seems a little fluttery and indicates the direction
of her instrument case. "But I have been quite busy working on the instruments
I will need for harpering." She seems to be holding back tears as her fear of
being sent away shows fully on her face.
Ylisa sees Mireilla's expression and looks immediately concerned. "Eil, don't
worry! Nothing dreadful's going to happen! I know you've been working! But
tell me how you've been finding it. Are you enjoying your studies with us?"
She leans forward a fraction, watching the girl's response.
Mireilla clears her throat (almost like preparing for a song) and takes a deep
breath to relax. Then a small smile creeps across her face as she seems to be
thinking of her response. "Yes, I love the work that I have been doing! The
teachers have all showed me so much in the time I have been here, and I realize
how very lucky that I am to have been allowed to study at Ista."
Ylisa nods her head, grinning. "Glad to hear it. Yes, it's fun, isn't it -
even when we work you hard. Do you have a favourite subject? Or some area
you feel you're best at?" She shifts position, leaning on the arm of the
chair and seeming quite informal and relaxed now.
Mireilla's look is direct even though she seems to shift in her chair. I have
been working hard on my instruments and getting the musical theory, and I have
, well, I like nearly everything (with the exception of scrubbing floors) but
my biggest joy has been putting words together to make sounds that become more
than the simple creation. They seem to be almost alive."
Ylisa positively beams. "A writer, then? Excellent! Yes, it can be very
satisfying - and words are such a powerful tool. One every harper should
learn to use. Are you interested in writing poetry, or lyrics for songs, or
what?"
Allowing herself to nearly 'bob' with her thoughts, Mireilla begins by
explaining, "I found part of an old script in the archives that really
fascinates me." *
She appears to focus on thin air as if she is mentally viewing
the hide. "It has words in a very loose pattern that alliterates, and I have
been attempting to craft some type of pattern that is based on that scrap of
hide. So, I guess my interest is poetic, at least at the moment."
Ylisa raises her eyebrows in surprise at the answer. "Fascinating. I'd be
interested to see what you've been doing." Then she reaches down into her
bag, apparently looking for something. She rummages under the hides for a
moment, frowning as she fails to find what she wants, then pulls out a small
object and holds it out to Eil. "You'll be wanting this, then, Apprentice
Mireilla."
Mireilla's eyes fill briefly with tears and her mouth drops open for a second.
She looks at you swollowing the wave of emotion and accepts the knot with
continued wide-eyed joy. "Are you su ..." she starts to studder a negative
respose and changes to a wide smile. "Thank you! Thank you so much. I will do
all that I can to make the craft proud."
Ylisa chuckles warmly. "You're more than due for it, in fact. You've been old
enough for some time, and you're getting on well, by all accounts. Keep it
up!" She sighs, somewhat theatrically. "And now, I suppose, I'd better get
back to my marking!"
Mireilla begins unconscienously fumbling at her shoulder knot as she rises and
retrieves her case. "I will get out of your way." a tear trails down her
cheek. She curtsies. "Thank you, I had feared that I was not a suitable
Harper.
Mireilla begins unconscienously fumbling at her shoulder knot as she rises and
retrieves her case. "I will get out of your way." a tear trails down her
cheek. She curtsies. "Thank you, I had feared that I was not a suitable
Harper.
Ylisa smiles as she starts to pull her work out again. "You're not in the way,
but I do need to get on. Well done, Mireilla."
Mireilla drops one last curtsey and heads off to look for that elusive teacher
she was seeking.
** The Ista Hold drums announce the arrival of Apprentice Mireilla.
------------------------------END
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*Ancient Writing Note
There appear to be some unintelligent words written on
the ancient note scrap
that may have been kept
only as an example of lost scribing arts ...
