Rustic Treetop Cafe
Perched on the cliff overlooking Xanadu's beach is a gnarled and massive skybroom tree. The bark and outer layers are sturdy enough to support the thriving, brushy top, but the interior, which is hollow, contains a spiral staircase that leads to a cafe built on a high platform amongst the branches. With a panoramic view of lake, sky, Weyr and the mountains beyond, the treetop eatery offers both sheltered seating just inside the trunk and tables on the wide deck that encircles the old tree.
The cafe's decor is comfortable and rustic, but closer inspection shows the smallest embellishments to be artfully combined into one detailed masterpiece. The wood of the doors, floor and walls of the trunk have been stained a dark mahogany that lends the space a sense of intimacy. Tables in various sizes have been carved to mimic driftwood, the chairs and benches padded with oiled sailcloth cushions to provide weather-proof comfort. Each table has an aged brass lantern filled with shells and agates gathered from Xanadu's shores, the sparkling natural mosaics holding tapered candles upright in their embrace. Lamps hang from the ceiling on silver poles, the thick frosted glass carved into intricate pastel shells or swirling white-capped waves. At night the colored glass softens the glowlight to enhance the ambience.
During the day, the retractable doors allow leaf-spattered sunlight to fill both the outer deck and the smaller interior with green and gold light, as well as allowing pleasant breezes to cool the interior. On clear nights, farviewers perch on the elaborately carved railing are free for use to enhance the gorgeous view of the stars over the Caspian Lake, the Sea of Azov beyond and the rock formations of the Weyr.
Wait, since when do chores come with homework? Since Rhodelia's current home is also shared with many other teens and young adults… that's not the ideal space to get any actual reading done. The assistant has taken her books and fled as far as she could while still reasonable. She's ensconced herself in one of those sea-facing chairs, both book and fruity drink on the table. Neither are really getting much attention as Rhody is totally in la-la-land just watching those white-caps come in and roll out. Come in and roll out.
The barracks are brimming with people, between them and the duet constantly going on on the hatching sands sometimes you need a break. Evangeline walks up the stairs and peers around. Carefully she wanders over towards Rhodelia and pulls up a chair, so she is within 5 feet of the older woman but not right next to her, a bubble. Today Evi carries a neon green sequined bag, placing it on her lap. The sack holds a siamese seal pointed hairless cat. With the cat fully secured on her lap she pulls a piece of paper from her bag and a pencil from her skirt pocket. Paper and pencil are placed on the table, and she glances at Rhodelia, pausing before saying. "Beautiful up here, is it not?" The quiet inquiry comes out sounding flat and tired.
Quiet the inquiry might be, but Rhodelia still jumps in her seat, hand to her chest. Luckily, her drink isn't spilled although it's a close call and she goes to grab it with her free hand. "It is… I wasn't expecting anyone." She takes a sip of her fruit juice, the cubes clinking a bit as she sets the drink down and that's when she spots the hairless critter and nearly jumps again. "What is that!!!" More exclamation than question. Sorry, little kitty, but Rhody has no manners and is totally pointing at the little alien-like thing.
The sudden movement by Rhodelia makes Evangeline jump in her seat, much like when one horse is spooked, they all spook for good measure. "Sorry, I-" Apologizing, she places a hand out, before settling in back on her lap. As Rhodelia jumps again, though, this time pointing to her lap goblin, she snickers, a broad smile that shrinks her eyes. "This is curtains; she's a cat." With one hand Evi pulls curtains up, showing her to Rhodelia with the proudest smile. The way curtains look she MIGHT not be a cat, the only real cat-like things are her eyes paws and tail, she is cat-shaped by the lack of hair means she also looks like an old woman in the nude. "Do you want to hold her?" Bouncing in the seat a little, her hand still holding curtains up, preparing to hand her to Rhodelia like a proud new mother.
Rhodelia narrows her eyes as Evangeline states the thing is a cat. She stares at the girl as if looking for any sign that this might be a joke. "That is not a cat. The Wherry has a cat. I think that thing could get lost in Murder Mitten's fur." Yes, Rhody may be gate-keeping a kitten. And Murder Mittens may have once been her's until the cat decided to do what cats are going to do. The offer to hold the kitten-goblin gets a short headshake. "No. Thank you." She'll keep both hands on her fruit glass just for good measure so the cat, like any possible greatness, might not be thrust upon her.
The fact of the matter is a cat is a cat even when one doesn't believe it, and the more weirded out Rhodelia is by Curtains, the more the young woman giggles. "She is a cat. I promise." The feline is gently deposited back on her lap, leaning towards her paper, she writes a few words down and then smiles again at the older girl. "Murder mittens?" She inquires, shaking her head, the amusement in her voice is clear. "May I ask you something." The younger girl asks, though clearly, she can as she just did. Waiting for a response, she swings her legs, like an overactive child. The smile she gives Rhodelia is exceptionally bright, the kind of smile younger siblinga might give older ones. Whether Rhody likes it or not, greatness is coming.
A cat is a cat and that's a fact, but another fact is the long and extensive history Rhodelia has in deluding herself. Even as she's still shaking her head in disbelief, Rhody will still flick a tiny piece of her wherry salad towards the creature. Or rather, the ground near the other candidate's feet in case the cat wants to jump down and get possibly-illicit-table-goodies. "Murder mittens. I found him killing a tunnelsnake. And then he killed another and another…" He is a big, fluffy, pest killing machine! And while she might not talk about her siblings much, they do exist. Those sibling-senses are kicking in at the too-bright smile and there's another dubious glance at the girl, before Rhody gives a bit of a sigh. "Sure, I guess?"
Curtains spots the food and looks down at Evangeline's feet before giving a soft mew, WHY SO FAR DOWN HOOMAN, at least that's what she could be saying. Felines can't pout, but the naked old woman that is Curtains does her best before jumping down and eating the scrap. Evi is giving off MAJOR sibling vibes, bouncing up and down in her chair it's obvious that she feels honored to be speaking to Rhodelia. This kind of Hero worship is rare, it only exists in childhood normally, and it's clear that the girl is a child. "SO you've stood like a dozen times, and you know things." A lot of assumptions in her overly perky tenor. "Are the eggs always so mean? Are Dragonets mean too? LIKE when they are hatched do they take time not to try and drown people." The words all come out with so much hurry and pep that it's enough to exhaust anyone.
"Half dozen," Rhodelia coughs out a correction. And since Curtains went through the effort of jumping down, she'll toss down a little more wherry and a couple shreds of cheese as well. Her eyes widen as the other candidate starts bouncing. While Evi might appear like someone's overenthusiastic kid sister, Rhody looks like she's about to show off her specialty of RUNNING AWAY at the slightest sign of hardship. "The eggs are all different. But sometimes." She's frowning now as she thinks back to the rather memorable last couple touchings for this clutch, before giving a shrug. "I haven't heard of a dragon or dragonet trying to drown people. At least not on purpose. But then again, I've never really spent much time around the dragonets." Seeing as she's still a candidate herself. It's one of those tests she just couldn't pass.
The scraps are scarfed up by the hairless wonder, as soon as they are gone, she looks up at Rhodelia MEW. MORE PLS AND THANKS. Evangeline bounces less because keeping up high bounce per minute is taxing. "Sorry, a half dozen." Settling back against her chair, every word from the older candidate gets a bob of her head. "That's hopeful, right?" The question is as much for the other girl as it is for herself, her eyes going out to the ocean and back to Rhodelia with a girlish smile thrown at her new BEST FRIEND. "Do you think, maybe you could order me a drink?" The question comes out; this is totally a test Rhody. Run. Or you know, get one of the youngest candidates drunk. Choices. "Are you scared?" The question spills out, someone broke the filter on her voice, and anything she thinks now spills out her mouth.
Sorry, Not-kitten. There's only so much wherry on Rhodelia's plate and she's going to have to eat some of it herself eventually. No more for kitty even if they are mewing up with too-big eyes. "What's hopeful?" The question may have been too fast or maybe the assistant is just distracted by other things. There's an eyebrow raise for the 'test'. "You can order your own drink? Just flag someone down." And as a former bartender, Rhody's definitely had more than enough experience avoiding giving drinks to young 'uns. As for the last, she tilts her head. "If you're asking, I guess you are?"
Once the food train has stopped, Curtain jumps back into Evangeline's lap and curls up contentedly. As Rhodelia declines getting her the drink her face scrunches, the proposition of trying to obtain her own receives no response. With the assumption that she is scared, her brow furrows, lips parting like she might deny it and then falling. "Well, yeah. This is all new." One hand extends and sweeps in a small semi-circle around her, to indicate that the Weyr as a whole is new. "It's hopeful that dragonets don't drown people, I kept thinking that whatever comes out of that egg might be a monster." The quiet omission is met with a long silence, staring out at sea. The teen is not bouncing now, one hand is absently scratching her cat. Somehow the absence of energy seems as unusual as it's presence.
"Or it's just as lost and confused as all of us are?" Rhodelia tilts her head as she offers up the silver lining towards the most pessimistic of eggs. Either way, there's a glance towards the girl and the kitten and the sea out there as well. Clearly no work is getting done here… "If you want my drink or my salad, I wasn't that hungry anyways." And while that strawberry-citrus beverage might not be strengthened, it is tart and refreshing. And the salad is mostly not eaten. Either way, Rhody is gathering up her books and gives a wave before heading off in search of a quiet reading place. Something always scarce in Xanadu and getting scarcer by the day it seems like.
The silence that has overtaken the overdressed child sits with her, she seems surprised that Rhodelia is even still next to her when she starts to speak. She nods her head a few times, lips pursing and eyes widening with the proposition. "I hadn't thought of that." The new revelation has the girl relaxing back against the chair, head leaning up, "Thank you, that's kind." Her head falls back, and her eyes go to the ceiling. Quiet might be a commodity around here nowadays, especially with the plethora of thoughts there is to think. If peace begins within, then Evi is doomed.