It's a deal!

Writers: Clancey, Paula
Date Posted: 1st December 2005

Characters: Kustaava, Solieira
Description: Kustaava meets Headwoman Solieira.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 9, day 2 of Turn 3
Notes: Follows 'not invited'

"Are you the Headwoman?" the tall but thin girl asked, lowering her
bundle to the floor. "I was told to report to you. I was just searched," she continued with nervous voice. Discreetly, she tried to tug her sleeves down, to hide her bony wrists. Kustaava knew the dress was ill-fitting, the sleeves were too short, while the rest of it hung loosely around her skinny frame. She was also _painfully_ aware of the swelling bruise on her cheek.

"Shells, child! What happened to you?" Solieira got up from behind her desk and moved over to look at her visitor's face more closely. While she was looking, she went on in her usual mothering type tones. "I am the Headwoman, but first we have to get this taken care of..What happened, lass?" she asked as she bustled away from her to a shelf behind her desk. There was a jar of numbweed there and she was going to spread a little on the poor girl's face.

"Well, my father wasn't exactly happy when he caught me talking with the Searchriders" Kustaava answered with a dry tone. She touched carefully her split lip. She presumed from the headwoman's reaction she must be a sight.

Solieira finished dabbing a bit of salve on the bruise on her cheek, frowning all the while. When she put the jar down, she swore in a most unladylike fashion. "Some men are too stupid to see what even a stone sees!" She muttered to herself, then turned up to look at Kustaava.
"What's your name, lass? We'll get you some clothes and some food and find you a place to stay."

"Kustaava, ma'am, but you can call me Ava too" the girl replied.

"Very well, lass. Searched were you?" The Headwoman set back for a
moment. "We're going to keep you right here and away from your father if he's prone to hitting. Shall I show you around a bit?"

"Yes, ma'm" Ava answered, she was starting to feel overwhelmed.
Everything had happened so fast. She actually felt dizzy.

Sol patter her arm in a friendly way. "Its going to be alright. We can have some klah or something first if you want a minute to catch your breath? But I do want to get you out of those clothes and into some Candidate ones!"

Kustaava suddenly realized she had missed lunch, which probably
explained her dizziness. "If you don't mind, I would like to eat
something. I was searched just before lunch," she asked timidly.

"Well by all means! Let's get you fed. Did you want to change clothes first or eat first? Or both at the same time?"

"Eat first, Ma'am" Kustaava answered.

"Well food is easy! Come with me, there is bound to be something in the kitchen, or there better be!" Sol smiled at her, trying to ease her.
Then, a moment later led her out of the cramped space she used for an office, and toward the kitchens. Once there, she set about fixing the young girl a plate herself, bustling in and out of the workers with the ease of long practice.

Kustaava just stared. The kitchen was enourmous! They fed thousands of riders and she thought her family's cot would fit quite snuggly inside the kithcen complex. The fireplaces were large enough to roast a whole heardbeast.

A few kind words and pats amid the kitchen drudges later, Solieira was seated across from Kustaava with a large plate of sliced roasted wherry, cheese, bread, and even a stuffed pasty. She had a small plate for herself of fresh bread and honey, and two brimming mugs of klah. "Now eat up, lass. So many of the younglings I see come in here are too thin!" She said with a smile, thinking of Izaronin, who was too thin despite being a weyrbrat and not a Candidate from Hall or Hold.

Ava took the hint and attacked hungrily the plate. She ate first half of her food in silence. Then she slowed down a bit and started looking around. "You must need a lot of staff to run this place."

Sol watched in silent approval as the girl began to eat, and when she paused to talk, smiled at her. "Aye, I suppose. I use some drudges and also young Craft apprentices, not to mention hungry Candidates." A wink.
"You'll find serving chores in the kitchen very rewarding with the first hot food out of the oven, and always fresh klah."

"Mmmm. I've always liked cooking. I started to help mom in kitchen when I was around twelve," Ava told between mouthfulls.

"You're hired then!" Solieira smiled at her, and relaxed. She appeared to be calming down. "I'll look forward to your help; I'm always wanting help with the night baking. I'm getting a bit old to fend off Candidates and weyrbrats at midnight!"

"It's deal then" Ava grinned.

Last updated on the December 1st 2005

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It's a deal!