Xanadu Weyr - Caverns
A massive cavern in it's own right, this one has been skillfully adapted for human habitation. The high ceilings have been painted a light, soft ivory, as are the walls where numerous tapestries hang to provide brilliant color and insulation from the stone. The floor has been left in its natural state, pale pink granite speckled through with glittering mica and dark flecks of basalt, leveled carefully but kept sufficiently rough to avoid slips.
The cavern itself is loosely divided into areas, each one set up to be suitable for some segment of the Weyr's population. The most frequently occupied area, however, is the one near the Kitchens where tables of varying sizes provide a place to sit down and eat or chat and a buffet of consumables is almost always kept stocked. Its plain that on most days, this area wouldn't accommodate anywhere near the full population of the Weyr and equally plain that on such occasions when a formal meal is laid out, tables are appropriated from all the other areas.
A big fireplace is set into the wall near the Kitchens as well, several comfortable chairs nearby providing haunts for elderly residents or riders who like a good view of all that happens. Rugs cover the floor in strategic spots, all of them abstract or geometric in design and most in the softly neutral colors of undyed wool.
Exits lead off in all directions, a big archway the largest and that leading outside. Shallow stairs to the west lead to the offices and administration area while tunnels to the east lead to the infirmary, kitchen and resident's quarters. Southwards, a sloping tunnel leads down to the hot springs and southwest is a wide tunnel, carefully roped off to avoid accidents.
It's mid-afternoon here at Xanadu, which means it's past lunchtime, resulting in only a few people wandering about. Mostly it's people just grabbing a quick snack on their way here or there. Some still, linger, spread out over the tables to eat a late lunch or simply chat up this person or that. Pyriel is among them, feet up on the table before him crossed at the ankle as he leans back some in his chair. In one hand, a redfruit, brought up to his mouth to bite into. Tearing off a chunk, he chews as he stares off blankly into space. Overall, the teen looks bored. His hair has been drawn back from his face with a wavy red headband, revealing all the metal and plastic punched into his head. Piercings at one eyebrow, his bottom lip, and ears. The lobes of those ears have gauges, small but certainly do stretch them enough to see through them. The rest is studs and hoops.
Kiley's arrival from the previous night was not met with much fanfare, if only for the fact that she did arrive so late at night and managed to make her way about without disturbing much of anyone. But morning came and past without her much leaving where she holed herself up and now afternoon arrives and hunger is mostly what drives the woman to seek the Caverns, despite lunch being mostly over, now. Blame the time difference. So she enters with wide-eyes and carefully looking about before she slowly makes her way over to find food, walking with an awkwardness to her step despite no one really watching her quite yet. It does not take her long to reach the food and fill it, despite most of the contents being snacks, before she's off and finding a table away from the others at the table, and most certainly away from Pyriel, whom she caught in a glance. And once she sits, she visibly relaxes while breathing a soft sigh.
The harper apprentice was, a bit of deterrent was he not? People in general, like Kiley, tended to give him a wide berth. Considering Pyriel's appearance, it was no wonder, if not intentional. The reason for all the hardware isn't readily obtainable, but a few had braved the exterior for a chance to know what was past it. If anything at all. The blond slides gold eyes across the room, noting as they do who is here and who is not. Anything, to pass the time. He homes in on Kiley fleetingly, scans her head to toe, and then continues on. Still looking bored. Another bite of redfruit, crisp, sweet and juicy is taken. This time, wiping at his mouth with the back of his forearm, letting the sleeves of his shirt act as a napkin.
New place and new faces generally tend to be a deterrent for those who are skittish at times, but Pyriel's appearance certainly adds to that. Kiley remains intent on her food, however, while the apprentice scans the Caverns. The food is, despite her hunger, picked at before she heaves a soft sigh. Under her breath, she speaks, though no one is close enough to hear the woman's words her lips are most certainly moving. And then, she's glancing up and carefully around the Caverns before her gaze settles curiously upon Pyriel and it is more than just a glance. Though she does not openly stare, she is watching before her gaze drops down to her food. “Shells.” Comes softly before she lets out a soft groan, “you can do it. Really.” It is that statement that pushes her to carefully pick up her plate and rise from where she sits. It takes a moment for her to move before she settles rather close to the harper, not in his space but at talking range, at least. And then, she begins to eat without another hesitation.
Bite of redfruit. Chew. Chew. Wha? Pyriel's gaze centers on Kiley again as she's about halfway the distance between where she was, and where she is headed. He hadn't noticed being checked out by the computer crafter. He hadn't even so much as glanced in her direction since that first time. Though Kiley had the harper's full attention now, which could end up as not exactly being a good thing. His pierced eyebrow lifts ever so subtly, blinking a few times, before he's investigating from his seat what could possibly be the woman's reason for migration. He sees none, there's no one over there, and the table looks clean. Interest piqued, he casually returns to take a gander of her, redfruit brought up to his lips. Naw, not his type. A shrug and he returns to the cavern in general, straight white teeth nipping at the flesh of the fruit.
Kiley is certainly torn between simply eating in silence or greeting the harper. Despite the fact that he isn't the most friendly looking sorts in the area, either, and the fact that he isn't paying much attention to her. Though this gives her time to eat a little bit more and consider her plate with a slight frown. Though a breath is drawn slowly and she frowns just a bit, poking the bits of food before turning her gaze back to the harper. It takes another moment as he looks at her before she speaks. “I'm Kiley.” Though the greeting stops short at just that, it takes a moment and a soft cough before she continues. “I just arrived.” There's a careful flick of her wrist before her fingers begin to play with the charm upon the bracelet while her gaze is carefully drawn away from the young man and the slightest of smiles pulls at the corner of her lips.
Someone is, speaking? Pyriel looks over the half eaten fruit in his hand to the woman past it. Was she talking to him? His eyes dart this way and that, running this tongue over his lips, before taking another sizable chunk out of his snack. "Yeah?" he finally speaks, mouthful of chewed up redfruit. He's sitting at a table by himself, hair pulled back, feet up on the table leaned back in his chair. Kiley sits not far from him within conversational distance, and seems to have caught the harper's attention. He continues to chew, thoughtfully letting his gaze sweep her from head to toe for the third time. He seems to be in deep contemplation there, head tilting to the side before jiggling a fingernail at the space of two teeth. Something stuck in there. Finally, his brows lift, and he lifts his shoulders in a sorry excuse for a shrug. "Hmmm sorry, don't care." he offers in a tone that is apologetic, yet still dismissive. He really sounds as if he could care less. The jerk. Redfruit to his mouth, he takes a bite and lets his attention wander elsewhere.
Kiley doesn't say anything beyond her greeting as the harper only says one thing. She clearly doesn't blame him from the look on her face as she continues to poke lightly at her food and take occasional bites while her free hand twists the charm on the bracelet she wears. The silence lingers until he speaks again and she casts him the briefest of looks. "Right." She offers in response, "not that you would care. Not that I expected you to. I was just greeting you. That's all." And with that, she turns her attention fully away from the harper and focuses on her lackluster meal. If she was hurt by the young man, she certainly doesn't show it but the bracelet is facing most of the abuse. The old chain, which normally has troubles, gives way and the bracelet slips from her wrist and out of her fingers. A string of swears comes from the woman's mouth and she abandons her food to duck under the table and search.
Pyriel polishes off the rest of the fruit, and tosses the core in a nearby waste big with an overshot. As he's enjoying the last taste of it, he idly regards Kiley as she mumbles and is overall mousy. Dropping his feet to the floor, he pushes himself up to standing and then turns, plopping into his chair again. Straddling it. Folding his arms over the back of it, he enjoys the geek show and the way that the computer crafter fiddles so much with her bracelet that it takes a dive under her table. "Why?" he asks, in passing curiosity. "Why would ya want to greet someone when ya thought they wouldn't care?" It's a perfectly reasonable question after all. He blinks at a few of the swears that come tumbling out of the woman's mouth. He'll have to remember those.
Kiley is quiet as she reaches for the bracelet, still softly swearing before she finds it and carefully makes her way from the table. Not without bumping her head, however. A wince crosses her face as a soft hiss slips from her lips before she slowly rights herself and settles once more into her seat. The bracelet is carefully adjusted and with much struggle she settles it around her wrist once more. A careful look is given to the harper as he speaks again before she gives him a rather serious look. "Because," she starts, her tone more certain than before, "I told myself I would greet everyone. You're just one of everyone, important or no or if you remember me or not… But it really isn't important /why/ I did. I simply did."
Pyriel just watches, blinking a few times when Kiley smacks her head before coming out from under the table. He of course doesn't bother to ask if she was all right, just seems content to observe her as she struggles with the reapplication of that bracelet. "That's kinda stupid." he offers after the explanation is given, brows furrowed as he seems to have trouble grasping the concept of being nice for niceness' sake. "And a waste of time. But it's yer life to waste on stupid stuff, so…have fun with that." He pushes himself up again, this time stretching out his body which is all long thin limbs that was just starting to fill out some with muscle. Pulling his shirt down to recover his mid-drift, he steps away, shoving his hands in his pockets as he leaves the computer crafter behind without so much as a farewell.
Kiley doesn't say a word as he calls her ideas stupid, in fact, a blank look replaces the serious one as she stares at him in a manner that reads that she really isn't listening to him anymore. It's as if she expects that the young man has not a single nice thing to say. At all. Ever. She simply nods in response, once, and then nods at the rest of what he has to say as he pushes himself up and leaves. And once he's gone, she sighs and rests her head on the table without so much as looking up to see whoever else is there. "I'm so bad at this…" Is all that comes from the woman, even though there is no one around her and she stays in this position for some time before finishing her food and returning to work.