Who Hanalee, Rayathess
What While delivering documents for a colleague, Hanalee requests future academic assistance from Master Rayathess, who doesn't say no.
When Winter, 2725
Where Entrance Foyer, Harper Hall

 

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HarperCraft Hall - Entrance Foyer
While it appears small, the foyer is actually quite large lengthwise and serves as a welcoming 'gateway' for guests and as a connecting 'hub' for the Crafters and workers posted here. Overhead, hanging from the high beams carved into the equally as high ceiling are a pair of chandeliers that still use glows and the light cast from them is cool against the stone walls and the stone tiles of the floor. On the walls, several tapestries are hung, some with the Harper Hall insignia and others depicting scenes of Pern's history or the Hall's history.

To the left, a large doorway leads to the Dining Hall while cut into the floor and hugging the wall is a stairwell that leads down to the Kitchens and Lower Levels, while to the right, another large doorway leads to the Great Hall. Directly ahead, a staircase winds upwards to the second level hallways and a direct access to the living quarters and Masterharper of Pern's Office. Beyond it, another door leads further into the Hall and into a corridor leading to the Archives and an access tunnel bridging this Hall with Healer Hall.


An hour or two shy of midday on the afternoon finds the hall's entry seeing a moderate amount of foot traffic; although the majority is undoubtedly passing through to other destinations, a few people linger off to the sides, whether to converse or perhaps wait for the next block of classes to conclude. Hanalee's hardly conspicuous in a room of other harpers, save perhaps for the additional indicators to show that these days, she spends most of her time at Fort Weyr rather than Harper Hall proper. Sitting in her usual almost-slouch on one of the benches out-of-the-way, her gaze restlessly shifts toward the doorways, swings back toward the nearest set of tapestries, then over toward the stairs. A group of apprentices passes at length, talking enthusiastically about their latest class - and for a moment, the woman's expression turns wistful, even as the fingers of one hand drum impatiently over a carefully secured roll of papers clasped firmly in her lap. Nostalgia-inducing, perhaps, but apparently not the party for whom she appears to be waiting.

It's true that the Hall is full of bustling activity at this hour. Plenty of various folk going about a myriad of various tasks, yet there's an order to the chaos; even among the changeover of a few classes thrown into the mix. Rayathess is a handful of minutes behind the last exodus of Apprentices, but his route wasn't originally in tandem with theirs - he just so happens to merge into the rear of their group from his departure from the Archives above. He looks as broody as ever, brows heavily knitted in thought and an ever present grim look about him. Yet he's not so absorbed in his own head not to spot someone waiting on one of those benches. Quirking a brow, on vague recognition, he drifts closer but it's evident even then he's trying to place her. It's no fault of her own, Rayathess has always struggled with facial recognition; it'll click eventually. At least she was memorable enough to stick to some part of his thoughts? "Afternoon." he greets, reserved in tone but not entirely unapproachable. "… What brings you to the Hall?"

During some of her peering back-and-forth, blue eyes eventually catch Rayathess's gradual approach and widen a fraction with friendly recognition, even as the nostalgia smooths quickly from her expression. "Oh, good afternoon, " returns Hanalee with a more-present smile, shoulders straightening almost reflexively. "Delivery for a colleague, from one archives to another. He could have sent it by firelizard, I suppose, but I offered to bring it over for purely self-indulgent reasons. It's been - a few turns, " and her head tilts to indicate the hall-at-large. "I don't suppose you've seen if, " and she names one of the archive masters who, more often than not, splits his time between research and teaching, "has let out his class yet this afternoon?" And just in case she's close to missing him, there's another expectant look toward the doors, the stairs.

"Mhm," Rayathess utters a thoughtful but positive sound of acknowledgement to the Master's name. His gaze lingers a beat or two longer on Hanalee - likely still trying to place her more firmly in his memory of their last encounter - but his attention drifts towards the stairs and then in the opposite direction towards the entrance and the classrooms beyond. His grim look returns, tighter then before and it's not until another small group of Apprentices hurry on by (maybe sped along by the look he shoots them for dragging their heels), that he takes a few steps to bring himself to stand in front of Hanalee. "You might be waiting awhile. We've had some - disruptions today. Some of the classes had to be shuffled around. Normally he would be done by now and I could tell you where to find him." But not today or at least he knows enough to tell her that that Master is still preoccupied. "If it was urgent, I could… see about pushing the matter." He doesn't sound thrilled about that option in the least bit, however.

Hanalee's eyebrows lift a little for that lingering look; perhaps accustomed to scrutiny, she doesn't exactly color under such direct eye contact, but manages to meet it curiously, sparing a glance for the next group of passing apprentices. There's a quick grimace, though, for that forewarning of disruptions and schedule changes. "How inconvenient; I'm sorry. It isn't urgent, but I may have to leave it with someone if I don't find him relatively soon. I came over with one of the riders who had business nearby - he said he'd be back in about an hour, which I assumed was enough time to carry out my errand and have us both back in time to wrap up some work before dinner." She shifts a little, then all but blurts: "Master Yuon suggested I - ask for your opinion of how I could have improved my senior project. I don't think you were on the committee that reviewed it, at the time, but I've been revisiting it lately with a fresher eye and a few turns between, and - well. If the opportunity arises at some point to contribute to a similar publication, I'd like to be able to do better than my first attempt." Which was, by all accounts, a rather decent organization of mountain hold folktales; her marks may not have been perfect, but they were quite good for the work of a then-senior apprentice.

Rayathess' mouth draws into a thinner line, but if any annoyance that flickers into his expression is not meant for Hanalee but perhaps just by the days events. "Don't be," he says in regard to her apology. "You didn't know, though someone should've informed you - or did you just settle here to wait?" There IS a twitch of a grimace, a flicker of distaste, for the mention of the rider she came with but he leaves that alone. "I cannot say if he'll be done in the next hour for sure -" He blinks, blank faced, when she blurts out something entirely different. For a moment, Rayathess seems to draw in on himself but it is there and gone so quick. Exhaling heavily, he glances out across the foyer, clearly mulling over something in his head. "No, I wasn't." Not officially. Some memory surfaces of his hand in her work, but he keeps his tongue in check. "I feel like Master Yuon forgets much of my skillset. No offence met," More to her, not so much to his mild annoyance with Yuon. "If you're serious on making a second attempt, I suppose I could lend some of my time to help where I can. That's not a promise I can," he stresses. "Just so we are clear." And there's no reason Rayathess can conjure to outrightly tell her no. Maybe he's just secretly a softy?

"The wait hasn't been a negative experience, " Hana says, in not-quite-an-answer to his query. "I can't take responsibility for the disruptions, but I do believe I'm permitted to be sorry that they've no doubt upended parts of your day. Little things are more than capable of causing chain reactions, " and there's a brief, upward curve to her mouth that widens as he continues. Frankly, at some length, "I know you two haven't always seen eye-to-eye, sir, but I'm sure you've seen that Yuon has a way of nudging those around her to keep trying to better themselves. She wouldn't have suggested that I bring it up to you if she didn't have a more-than-adequate measure of your capabilities, I'm sure." Without the attachment of rank to the name, her tone warms more easily to the topic at hand; perhaps it's not so far-fetched to suppose that the once-journeyman and former student have graduated to a friendship in the turns following the conclusion of her training. "I know your time is, of course, valuable. I won't bother you with it unless there comes a time where there's something worth presenting, I promise. I haven't revised any of it yet, but after the turns at Boll, I rather thought — " Suddenly she's getting to her feet, expression relieved. "There he is." The intended document recipient, no doubt, who is slowly making his way into the hall from the classrooms, appearing rather engaged in conversation with one of his students.

Rayathess tilts his head, regarding her again with a closed expression but a hint of something edging on intrigue. "Perhaps," is his initial agreement, after taking a low breath to process. On the next, he sounds almost amused. Almost. "You hardly upended parts of my day. Mine is ending for one half and the other is not due to start quite yet. This is a lull." Where he may have been aiming to fetch a quick bite to eat or any number of things! He doesn't elaborate, but rather sniffs dismissively on whether or not he and Yuon see eye to eye. As he begins to speak on matters of them arranging some sort of communication, Hanalee is on her feet and, almost instinctively, Rayathess moves to step aside. "Ah, well… looks like fate is on your side after all. I won't keep you." He's already dipping his head in a respectful manner and as a farewell. Before he steps away entirely though, he does clarify: "If you do begin your work again, you can contact me. Until then - best of luck and safe travels." Ever polite, though distanced, and without lingering much longer beyond that, he turns to stride towards the staircase leading down to the lower levels.


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