==== December 26, 2013
==== Lisette, Nevelyn, Owein, Nevach (NPC)
==== A few folks run into each other for an evening of conversation.

Living Caverns
Grand and spacious, the cavern curves high aloft in naturally-vaulted ceiling that soothes any sense of claustrophiba. Rich woods line the cavern floor, varnished and stained a rich mahogany, while round tables scatter about candlelit and intimate. The largest table lies southerly next the sideboard, long trestles that seem oriented to providing for the weyr's youngest. The rich blue of Azov can be seen from a distance in good weather, when the heavy stone doors covering the entrance are allowed to stand open.

It's been a long day and Owein is ready for some refreshment! The newest arrival to Southern heads into the cavern with a jaunt in his step and a smile on his face. He heads to the tables to pile high a large plate with food stuffs and a large mug full of steaming klah. He finds a seat nearby, settling in to take his repast whilst grey eyes scan the room with vivid interest. Ahhh, people watching, the best sport!

The children are down for the night and next shift has taken over. Which means Nevelyn can snag a little bit of adult time before heading home for the evening. After being surrounded by a horde of kids all day anyone would need a little refresher in the big people world. She nabs a mug and pours it full of lovely wine. Hefting that and a dessert roll before wandering toward the tables in search of an empty chair.

Someone has to refill the bin of napkins during dinner, right? That person is Lisette. Which she does. Begrudgingly. And with a look of what could only be described as intense boredom on her face. When she's done, she's probably supposed to go back to the laundry cavern. But instead, she hooks her basket over her shoulder and grabs a plate to eat and look for a place to sit down with it. Tables are largely full so circumstances will have her heading in the direction of Owein and Nevelyn.

What a coincidence! There happen to be two open seats at Owein's table, one next to him and one across, better hurry girls! Owein eats his food with gusto, not forgetting to tip the contents of his flask into his klah, of course. Who doesn't like a nice drink with dinner? He notes the two seatless girls, grinning. Yay! Company at the table, Owein's favorite thing!

Nevelyn slides into the seat across from Owein with a sweet smile. Setting her mug and roll down on the table top to adjust her skirt comfortably. “Evening,” she greets, “I surely hope you don’t mind my joining you. After chasing young’un’s around all day it’s sit down or fall down.” And the way she feels it’s an honest enough statement. Once she crossed her legs and settled into the chair she lifts her mug for a luxurious sip of wine. Ahh the cure for burning muscles.

With the way Lisette takes her seat next to Owein, there's a possibility she might have sat there even without an invitation. She starts off by placing the big basket in the middle of the table, but chooses wisely to remove it as a few other diners give her the eyeball and clear their throats. Decidedly looking away from them, she fixes her hair and instead focuses attention on the people immediately near her. Namely, the young man eating his meal and Nevelyn across the way. "Evening."

Owein gives Nevelyn a wide, white toothed smile that dimples his cheeks and a wink. "No worries dearie, none at all. I come from a big family, lots o' young ones runnin' 'round the craft halls at home. I understand. Please, join me anytime you like!" He chuckles. "Name's Owein, and you are?" He asks, sending a wink of greeting Lisette's way as well. Good old Telgar charm, it's never led him wrong.

Nevelyn surveys Lisette’s basket snafu with a curl of amusement on her lips. Some folks are plain picky after all. Thankfully Owein doesn’t seem to be one of those folks. Well at least in regard to his company at meals. He earns a delighted smile from Neve for his acceptance. “Well met Owein. I’m Nevelyn, one of the Weyr’s nannies.” She quirks a curious brow at Lisette when she falls silent. Wondering who the lovely young lady is. A pinch of her roll finds its way past her lips and she nibbles while waiting.

Lisette offers her two nearest tablemates a tight lipped smile before she takes a bite out of her meal. One that she chews slowly before she realizes that Owein is talking to her. Swallowing, "Oh, Lisette." While polite doesn't always fit her well, she's managing for this meal at the least. "Well met." Is tacked on at the end, almost as an afterthought. Glancing between the two of them and then back over Nevelyn's shoulder to the inner caverns, she shovels another forkful of food into her mouth.

Owein grins. "Well, Nice to meet the both of you. I'm new around here and a friendly face is a mighty fine thing to see!" He chews a couple of bites and sips at his drink before returning his attention to the ladies. "Nevelyn and Lisette, both beautiful names!" He gives them a charming smile and leans back in his chair. He looks at Nevelyn. "You like being with the younguns?"

“Pleasure to meet you Lisette,” Nevelyn chimes in with a comforting smile. She wonders if the girl is just that hungry or perhaps a tad shy. It’s a mystery that she’ll enjoy debating quietly to herself. A long drink of wine is swallowed before she is able to formulate a response to Owen. “Thank you for the compliment.” She graces him with a happy smile. “I love looking after the children,” she answers with a nod of her head, “it gives me plenty of time to spend with my young son. He’s still adjusting to being around children and living in such a large place.” She relaxes a tad as the wine kicks in. “Where do you hail from?”

"Thanks." Lisette replies tepidly, not having the same grace as Nevelyn when it comes to accepting these kinds of off-the-cuff compliments. Or perhaps choosing not to, it's difficult to tell where that line is with how little she's saying. Her food continues to be pushed around on her plate, taking a bite here and there as the conversation progresses around her. As the question is put to Owein of his origins, she tips her chin looking at him curiously for the answer.

Owein grins. "That's good that you get to spend time with your son. I hope to have a youngun myself one day." At Nevelyn's question he smiles. "I hail from Telgar, now in Southern. Hopin' to get on with the Guards here, if I can." He gives one of those 'aww shucks' shrugs and leans back in his chair. He ruffles his short shorn red curls and rests his hands behind his head, looking at ease. He wonders at Lisette's withdrawn aura. He smiles warmly at her and takes another drink of his klah.

Nevelyn would love to converse with Lisette but the girl offers her very little to go on. And so she simply sends a smile her direction every few minutes. Keeping Lis included whilst she chats with Owein. “There’s certainly plenty of women wandering about for you to chase after,” Neve tells him with a laugh. “I’m sure you’ll get your wish one day.” She nods her head upon hearing where he’s from, “Never been there,” is said in reference to Telgar. Then again she hasn’t actually been much of anywhere if one wanted to nitpick. “I wish you well with joining the Guards. I’ve not met any of them personally but I’ve seen a few in passing. Seem like dependable folk.”

"I always wondered what the guards were really guarding here." Lisette remarks suddenly, the first full and true sentence of the evening. If her otherwise quiet state is of a curious nature to those around her, she seems completely oblivious to it and certainly not insulted by any lack of conversation in her direction. Before her next bite to eat, she'll make another general comment, "Maybe I'll join the guards next." This is more to the room at large. Or to herself. Depending on how you view it.

Owein lets out a loud, robust laugh, full of mirth. "There may be a' plenty for the picking, but finding one who'll stay picked is much, much harder m'dear." Specially with the side of Owein most aren't very accepting of. But, neither here nor there, Owein is in a good mood and it shows with the smile that stays plastered to his lips. His brow quirks once more in surprise at Lisette's addition to the conversation. Ahh, mayhaps another roaming philanthropist? Kindred spirit maybe? He chuckles. "Guards are decent folk, and I like the idea of keeping things safe and orderly."

Ahh a couple actual remarks from the quiet one! Nevelyn grins happily at Lis, “From what I’ve heard they do a bit of chasing ‘round the large felines that threaten these parts. I’ve seen them watching over the workers in the fields.” That’s all she really knows of the profession so she falls silent for a moment and sips her wine. “If you’re of a mind to I imagine they’d train you,” she tells Lisette with a shrug. Sliding her grin to Owein she nods her head, “I suppose that may well be true. Though I’ve found loving one man to be rather much easier than being courted by many.” She’s seen both sides of that fence and has decided to settle down it seems.

"Chasing felines?" Lisette's mouth opens and then closes. She looks between them again and then listens to Nevelyn for the rest of her answer. "Well, damn. That sounds like it would be a lot fun." Or possible suicide given what the guards do and what kind of a person she actually is. But that's never got in the way of crazy pipe dreams before. The empty basket on the floor is given a curious kind of look before she mutters something quietly that just she can hear. Feeling sociable all of a sudden she advises Owein, "Oh, it's easy. Just tell all the girls you love them and whichever one sticks around? Keep that one." She acts as if she sees no flaws in that plan.

Owein chuckles at both the women's comments. "Ah dearie, tellin a girl you love her without actually loving her is no way to go about things. If i'm gonna tell a girl I love her, I'll mean it." He drinks again, shoving his plate away, food forgotten for now in the joy of conversation.

Nevelyn laughs softly at Lisette’s reaction to the duties of the Guards. “Perhaps you should look into training then,” she advises with a shrug of her shoulder. After all if one finds that sort of thing fun why not go for it. Personally she’d never in life have the courage. The love advice draws a round eyed look of astonishment from her. But she has no real input to add for the moment. She has been distracted by a dark skinned boy wandering into the caverns way past his bedtime. Nevach spots her amongst the crowd and scampers over to her side. Surely the kid is way too old to be hers. Right? Wrong. “What’s wrong baby?” She sets her mug on the table and gathers the seven turn old into her lap. Leaning down to listen to his quiet response and nodding her head. She rocks the child with a steady movement and smiles apologetically at Lisette and Owein. “Best answer I’ve heard in a long while Owein,” she tells him with a grin.

"Well, good luck getting any of them to stick around long enough for you to figure it out. I mean- That's how I would do it if I were a man." Which… Uh, well. Lucky for the women at Southern that Lisette isn't a man. "You're going to be at this love thing a long time. Underrated anyway if you ask me." Which no one did. But that doesn't stop her from saying it. Thankfully she doesn't make any remark about Nevelyn's older-than-anticipated son that arrives in the living cavern. If there's anything on the tip of her tongue, she smothers it with more food and drink.

Owein chuckles once more. "Good luck with that philosophy there lass." He remarks. Looking to the both of them he sighs and stands. "Unfortunately ladies, I have an appointment I must keep. I hope to see you both around." He gives them a wink, clears his space, and heads out of the caverns with a smile and a wink.

Nevelyn is accustomed to looks and questions about Nevach. Her much loved son is curled in her lap and eyeing Lisette and Owein with curious brown eyes. He’s still half asleep which accounts for his quiet demeanor. Normally he’s bouncing all over. “The right woman will be patient enough to stay until he discovers the truth,” she injects knowingly. “Real love is a delicate thing and not to be taken lightly.” Must be that motherhood tempered her youth for someone her age to have such insight. She nods her head in acceptance of Owein’s parting remarks. “Have a pleasant evening.”

Lisette laughs quietly to herself before reaching for her glass. She waves Owein off, giving the departing young man a little wave of her fingers. "He probably has a date with the future mother of his child or something." She comments to Nevelyn as she gives a shake of her head. "I think he's taking it all a little too seriously." Her tone and apparent attitude now are a switch over from her previous behavior. Which may indicate whether or not certain parts of this engagement were truly serious.

A surprised laugh escapes Nevelyn at Listette’s comment and she nods her head. “He may well be at that. Here’s hoping he falls in love with her before the baby gets here eh?” She shakes her head at the thought still chuckling. And this is when Nevach pipes in. Looking up at his mother curiously, “Why? You didn’ love my da and it turned out alright.” Nevelyn angles her head to smile at Nevach while she pats his back. “That is very true sweet. I wouldn’t change it for the world.” She looks up at Lisette and shrugs her shoulder.

"Or he just waits on having kids for awhile. They have a way of cramping one's style." And here she glances at Nevelyn's lap. "And sometimes your dinner." From across the cavern an older women emerges from the tunnels, where she spots the laundry girl and begins to holler clear across the space separating them. "Lisette you get back down here right now! You had sheets to fold you lazy good for nothing-" It really just goes on from there and gets worse. Smiling brightly at her remaining tablemate. "They caught me." Sweeping up the basket from the floor, she leaves her dirty plate and half full glass behind.