Undesired Consequences
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Xanadu Weyr - Stables
The Stables of Xanadu Weyr are composed of one long building, lined with box and standing stalls that are kept thoroughly clean by the resident grooms and stablehands. Runners nicker and neigh at everyone who enters, save for the obstinate ones that just flicker their ears in indignant curiousity that they dare not make visible. The foremost stalls near the door to the Barn Yard are the grand box stalls which are home to the prized runners of Xanadu, as well as the most pregnant, those which are so far along that they require constant observation by the Herders, so as to ensure easy foaling.
However, the primary design of stall which lines the broad pathway that is covered in saw dust which is the main avenue of the Stables, is that of the Standing Stall. Many runners are in the standing stalls, with ropes strung across the front so as to keep the runners from leaving their designated containers. A few hay bales sit here and there along the avenue, some of which act as seats for the stablehands and grooms on their breaks, others as snacks for those runners who can reach out their necks far enough. Buckets and baskets of grooming supplies, brushes and combs, and the like also sit here and there, occassionally knocked over by a wayward hoof or inquiring muzzle.


The day starts early for those who work with beasts. The stables are still mostly lit by the electrics at this hour, Rukbat's light not yet strong enough as it rises. People are just starting to stir for their morning tasks, and back in the small office near the tackroom sits Jarse. The journeyman has a scowl to go with his hangover, and he's currently glaring at a document and tapping a pencil against the desk. Tap. Tap. Tap. Scowl.

Idrissa is there, right on time for being late would not be a good thing to say in the least. Her hair is pulled back save for a few strands that fall across her face, she also looks tired. It would seem she didn't sleep much at all after the mess at the tavern. Neither of her firelizards are with her, she has on a long sleeved t-shirt, jeans and boots and that beastcraft knot is clearly seen upon her shoulder. She peeks into the trackroom and is slowly moving past it towards Jarse's office, her green gaze drifting into it and she catches sight of the scowling man which makes her quiver. Taking in a slight breath she slowly moves forward, clearing her throat slightly to try and get his attention.

Jarse looks up at the sound of Idrissa's entrance. For a moment, she's framed in the light of one of the electrics outside, and the bright halo effect makes him wince… which only deepens his scowl as he points to one of the hard wooden chairs across from him. He does not yet speak, merely stares at her as he waits for her to sit down.

Idrissa swallows as she moves along slowly towards the chair that is being pointed too. She slowly sits down on it, her head lowered and gaze resting on her feet, fearful perhaps in looking up at Jarse for whatever reason!

As Idrissa sits down, Jarse rises to his feet, and looks down at Idrissa from that vantage for a long moment before slowly walking the three steps to the door. He shuts it with a thump, and turns the latch. "Now," he says as he turns back around to look at Idrissa again, and walks back those three steps to rest his hand on the edge of the desk. "Why don't you tell me why you're here?"

Idrissa doesn't look up at Jarse stands and is off to close and latch the door? Creepy! At the question she is a bit lost for a moment, it's not like she often gets in trouble. Over the turns this may be the second time at most. She is quiet for a moment thinking over her answers perhaps before coming up with a answer. "Because I talked back to a journeyman?" Can we just bypass that crazy blue firelizard of hers?

Tap, tap, tap go Jarse's fingers as Idrissa thinks what to say. Tap, tap, tap… and they stop as she speaks. "Correct," he answers. His voice is level, unlike the enraged shouting of last night; unlikely to carry outside of this small office. "Apprentices are here to learn from their betters. If you cannot respect the journeymen of your craft, you have no respect for the craft itself." He's still standing, looking down at the seated Idrissa from that looming vantage. It makes the small office seem even smaller.

Idrissa has always showed respect to journeymen, and everyone else. It was just a heated moment when everything went out the window at the sight of Jarse nearly hurting Ripley. She bites down upon her lip as she stays quiet; listening to what is said without attempting to speak up while he speaks. Is she allowed to speak, or should to wait until he wants a answer from her? Her mind wanders over that idea and she instead keeps quiet while swallowing. Fearful? Just a bit!

Jarse lets his gaze linger on Idrissa, watching her reactions. There's a slight twitch of the corners of his mouth, something like a smirk that he's attempting to hide. He pauses a moment, then keeps going even though she doesn't speak. "If you have no respect for the craft, you should not be an apprentice. Give me your knot." He holds out his hand, expectant.

Idrissa was not expecting this bit to come from Jarse, she is just a bit stunned to say the least and her green gaze drifts up towards him. "What?" This is questioned with an unsure tone. "I…I have respect for the craft. I always have." Seems she is not about to give up that knot easily. She's worked so hard for it, an now this?

"You heard me," Jarse says sternly. "If you cannot have respect for your journeymen - in, I might add, a situation involving a poorly controlled beast - you are not ready for the responsibility of that knot." He keeps his hand extended, and after another moment, he raises a brow. "Shall I bring in the other journeymen? I could be doing this in front of everyone."

Idrissa watches Jarse a few long moments. "You was going to hurt him, he was scared. He wasn't poorly controlled." So maybe he was a bit, just a /bit/. "I've always worked hard. I've done everything I've been told, doesn't that mean anything?" There are tears welling up in her eyes and she is doing her best to keep control, which she is slowly losing that battle with. She swallows at the talk of doing this in front of everyone, her shoulder lower before she slowly undoes the knot. Her gaze lingers on it, sure it's just an apprentice's knot but it has always meant so much to her. With a sniffle she lets it fall into his hand, her gaze back on the floor.

Jarse remains unmoved by those pleas, his hand stretched out. As that knot is finally placed in his hand, he curls his fingers around it. If Idrissa was still looking at his face, she'd see a smirk there, a curve of his lips and a shine of his eyes that doesn't match the reasonable words he's been saying. But then, really, it's not about the incident last night. Not for Jarse. He moves away, now that he's got the knot, and lowers himself back into his chair. By the time he speaks again, his face has mostly resolved itself to neutrality… well, perhaps there's a bit of smugness. "I know you've worked hard," he says as he settles himself comfortably. "That's why I intend to give you a second chance."

Idrissa has no clue that Jarse is mad at her over the whole runner bit, at least the fact that it wasn't she that paid for Red Feathers. It may come to her at some point but at the moment it seems to her to deal with everything at the tavern with Ripley. Her hand lifts and she rubs at her eyes a moment, trying very hard to not cry here in front of Jarse, still a few tears roll down her cheeks. At the talk of being given a second chance she does peer up at him slightly. "How so?"

Look how generous Jarse is! That must be the reason for the smile he has. It's benevolent, right? At the very least, he'll pretend it is, his gaze on Idrissa as he relaxes in his chair. "You may work as a junior stablehand here. Your duties will include mucking stalls and carrying feed." Not to mention all the other unpleasant things that mostly don't even involve contact with the animals themselves. "If you prove your dedication and the skills you have been taught to earn… let us say, eight marks… I will reinstate you as my apprentice."

Idrissa watches Jarse, catching that smile and it makes her feel a bit sick. How can he smile when he just took away her beastcraft knot? Not that it seems to matter to him! She swallows as she hears the second chance that she has been given. "Junior stablehand?" It's not that she doesn't do all that to start with on top of working on her beastcraft chores and studies. Her eyes widen slightly. "Eight marks?" How in the heck is she supposed to do that while working as a stablehand?

Oh, but what Idrissa does now (oh, wait, used to do) is a sprinkling of stablehand duties in with the rest of her day. In this new world, all the other apprentices - or at least the ones Jarse likes - will get a nice break from that part of their day as it all gets assigned to Idrissa. That eyebrow rises again as she speaks. Is that talking back? Oh, please do say she's talking back to him again, says the quirk of his lips. Oh, but nothing she's said quite crosses the line. Drat! His lips curve down instead, and he lets out a brief sigh before nodding. "Correct. I advise you work hard. I don't give third chances."

Idrissa frowns while she watches Jarse, there is clear un-sureness seen across her face and her head lowers once more. Look at the floor! So, dust covered and there is some hay, and other things that look more important than looking at Jarse. "Yes sir." Is said after a few moments, her tone a faint whisper. What else can she possible do? Nothing, not a thing.

Jarse nods. "You may begin with cleaning the stalls," he says. In fact, her name's already listed there on the chore board. Just like it will be every day this week. He glances down to his desk, then up to Idrissa again. "Dismissed," he adds in a casual tone, then drops her knot into a drawer of his desk and reaching for a piece of paper to begin writing something.

Idrissa is quiet while she stands and turns slowly making her way to the door. Nothing else is said, not like she needs to as nothing would help after all. Once the door is unlatched she makes her way on out into the stables and gets to work on getting the stalls cleaned. As for any of the stablehands, or other beastcrafters she doesn't say a word to any that may ask what is going on or where her knot is.


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