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A Gift of Amber


Date:  September 23, 2003
Place:  Telgar Weyr Storage Rooms
Game:  PernMUSH
Copyright Info:  The World of Pern is copyright(c) to Anne McCaffrey 
l967. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright.

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Kassi's Note:  Gay, who was Kassi's mentee in this Weyrling cycle, has
had a tough time of it:  personal issues have led to her training being 
delayed, and she was unable to graduate with the rest of her 
classmates.  But now, some months later, she's officially been tapped
into the Queen's Wing to fly as a full rider--and when she runs into
her mentor in the Store Rooms, Kassi gets her chance to bestow 
graduation presents. :)

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The Log:

Gay walks in from outside the room.

"...Why someone would want a tapestry of snow around here *anyway*, I don't
know. You'd think they'd get enough of it without hanging reminders on
their weyr walls--here, what d'you think of this one?" Kassi's familiar
lilt may be faint from the entrance; she's within one of the rooms
themselves, evidently, the light from her glow spilling out through the
doorframe. The answer she receives for her query is a distincly
fire-lizardish chirp. "You never have been much of an art critic, y'know
that?"

Gay ducks into the entrance with a glowbasket of her own, muttering to
herself, "Only time you can do it, and there's absolutely nothing that's
going to -get-..." She trails off on hearing a voice, taking a step on two
further in, closer to the rooms. After a pause, recognition - and a bit of
relief in her tone. "Kassima?" The girl angles her steps towards the
textile area.

"'Tis me--" Kassima breaks off her discourse on tapestries to affirm,
turning towards the doorway. "Gay? Heyla! What, were you fearing 'twould be
someone else?" She's holding up a very small tapestry with a basic
forest-and-stream design, so basic in fact that it seems nearly cartoonish;
bits of it have frayed. There's no other human in here for her to have been
conversing with, but at least seven fire-lizards have followed her around
and perch on each of her shoulders and atop several nearby shelves.

"Well, not really - It's just a bit - creepy in here when it's dark." Gay
sets her glow down just inside the doorway, peering over at the tapestry,
then at the unusually large number of firelizards about. "Are you
redecorating? And are they much help?" A second look at the tapsestry the
greenrider's holding, then, "I don't know about that one."

Kassima's puzzlement turns to comprehension, and she laughs. "Ah, that.
You've a point. I actually kind of like it... 'tis like hunting in a great
cave for treasure, like the sort of game children play." Pause. "A'course,
it helps that this *is* a great cave when you get right down to it. These
beasts are absolutely nay help 'tall. *Especially* Quixote. He knows naught
about art!" Quixote gives a happy chirple from his mistress's shoulder,
sensing the humor behind her exaggerated protest. "'Tisn't exactly for me.
I'm here looking for baby things, ostensibly, but I ran into this little
group of tapestries and I thought one of 'em might suit the nursery. There
aren't any tapestries in there yet; just drawings and paintings, so it
could be a change of pace. None of 'em are terribly *good* though. What
brings you down here? I warrant I could make a guess."

Gay grins, if a bit sheepishly. "I guess you can look at it like that, but
I'd still rather do the looking with someone else. I don't like it when
it's -too- quiet." She glances towards the chirping 'lizard, noting,
"Course, you're not exactly alone. May not know much, but they seem to be
decent company." Stepping forward to lift a tapestry or two from the stack
curiously, "How is Kaswyn - and the others? And Lysseth? I'm just looking
to get a couple of things to make our place a bit less - bare."

Grinning at her erstwhile mentee, Kassi says, "Scarcely a problem. I can
keep you company while you look if'n you like--even help, though I don't
know how much trust you'd want t'put in my decorating sense. Just ask
Javi." She casts a fond look towards the fire-lizards as she adds, "And I'm
almost never alone, with this bowl of nuts following me around. Can you
believe that tapestry with the snowscape? Who around here ever wanted a
picture of *snow*?" Some questions just demand to be asked. "But Kazy's
quite well; Khari tied some handkerchiefs t'that wooden spoon of his, t'be
'wings,' and he's been running everywhere making it fly as fast as his
chubby little legs will carry him. Lysseth's been very amused. I'd heard
the goldriders finally tapped you; in fact, that reminds me that I have
something for you, some things, but naught that's apt t'help with the bare
weyr, I'm afraid."

"Javi said that your were helping her out with it - and any help would be
good. Hoping my decorating sense isn't as bad as my clothing sense." Gay
wrinkles her nose at the tapestry she's pulled out - another winter scene.
"I can't believe -this-. No wonder they're in storage." She puts it back,
sighing, "Maybe they're just a reminder for the rest of the year. And
that's good - all of it. Handkerchiefs for wings is pretty bright of him,
actually." She turns back to Kassi to nod, a smile lighting her features.
"Yeah, they did. It's pretty exciting - for now, anyway. And you do? You
didn't - well, thanks. And I can get most of what I need in here anyway." A
pause, then; "Thanks. I appreciate it."

Kassima shakes her head a fraction. "Khari has more t'do with Javi's weyr
than I do; she's the one doing a mural. But I did offer a few pieces of
advice, until we got caught up in talking about other things. Funny how
often that seems t'happen. What makes your clothing sense that bad, and by
Faranth, what is wrong with people? Mayhaps I should filch these winter
tapestries and take 'em down t'Nerat or somewhere, and see if'n anyone
*there* might be interested in buying them. I really *could* now, if'n I
wanted to...." This would seem to almost be a kind of revelation, and she's
quiet for a moment to savor the thought. "--What, remainder for the one
sevenday in summer where 'tis sunny? Short memory someone has. Ah, Kazy's
bright, but nay that bright; the idea was Kharisma's. Ach, wait t'be
thanking me until you see what 'tis! One moment--" The tapestry is dropped
so that she can grab a satchel up from the floor; hers, evidently, since
she produces from it a mid-sized square-shaped item wrapped in white cloth
splattered with streaks of black and gold and tied closed with pine green
ribbon. 'Tasteful' isn't exactly the word. She offers this to Gay with a
cheerful smile.

Gay gestures as she speaks, moving her hand like a tunnelsnake might move.
"Conversation shifts like that, one thing to the next. I guess people
aren't meant to talk one thing out completely unless they really try." A
shrug to the questions, sighing, "I'm just not used to picking nice
outfits, I guess. I'm not so bad with regluar clothes, but I'm thinking I
might want something - nice. Appropriate. And that might be a plan, Nerat.
Show 'em what they're 'missing'." She blinks as the gift suddenly appears
and takes it, with a quick smile. "Thanks," she says, opening the
wrappings, looking rather curious.


---

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To:        Gay
Subject:   Gift Descs. :)
==============================================================================

	When unwrapped, the parcel proves to contain a flat and unremarkable 
box approximately 6" by 8" long. Opening it reveals the following contents:

	A small wooden box not even a handspan long is the largest object; 
its surface is thin, and carved sparingly with a border of delicate
scrollwork--not much ornamentation, but then, it isn't really meant for
display. Instead, its purpose is to contain the deck of cards tucked
within. Each of these is made from wood even thinner than that of the box,
and painted in rich, vibrant colors with the three suits and three Harpers
standard in dragonpoker. The backs of the cards wear the same scrollwork as
the box, but again painted rather than engraved: royal blue lines cross
over a dark blue background, elegant without being showy. The portrait
cards for each suit are particularly well-executed, and the artist has
clearly taken time and care to ensure that the faces are not only
beautifully rendered, but potentially meaningful to you; key figures from
your home Hold of Lemos decorate the Hold suit, while the Woodcrafters who
live nearby and under Telgar's Wings have claimed the Crafts. The Weyr suit
wears the face of Telgar's own riders--with the Weyrling card, showing
yourself leaning against your Liabeth in a moment of casual reflection,
particularly worthy of note. A certain faraway quality has been given to
the picture's eyes and a hint of a smile to the face, as if the image has
been captured while communing with the beloved dragon behind her.
	However, the box isn't alone in the wrapping. Beside it rests 
something made of gleaming curves and golden glimmers, cool metal and 
captured sunlight: gold links in the shape of miniature leaves wind around 
and around cabochons of bright, tawny amber to form this bracelet, each 
gem as large as a woman's smallest thumb joint. None are flawless. Instead, 
each stone contains some tiny fragment of leaf or seed, or simply a 
disturbance beneath the surface, gilded by the heart of the jewel and 
catching at the light as though to dare any eye to find such imperfections 
less than beautiful.

	Wind to thy wings,
	Kassima, green Lysseth's rider and Thunderbolt Wingleader, Telgar Weyr.

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---


"True enough. 'Tis odd, though, how many times some things come up and are
discussed, while others that might be more interesting when you think about
'em come up only once a'fore you're distracted by something else." Kassima
shifts to lean back against the nearest set of shelves as she muses through
this. "As in dress leathers? Gather dress? Either one? Down here might nay
be the best place for that, I have t'tell you. Fancy things tend t'get
snatched up...." The thought trails off for now, and her eyes fix on the
unwrapping with near-anxious interest.

Gay first finds the box, grinning widely as she opens it and glancing over
at her mentor with amusement. When she flips through the deck itself,
however, she sobers. Eyes widen, as she murmurs, "Oh - oh, this is
brilliant. I can't -believe- it..." Then, there's the bracelet, which she
holds up, then closer to the glow to examine. "Kassi - thank you so much.
They're both -beautiful-." She looks over to the woman, clearly a little
overwhelmed. "Thank you." There's a pause as she busies herself with
putting the cards back in the box; trying to put the bracelet on. "Dress
leathers, gather dress. And yeah, I was thinking I'd have to go to the
Weaver's. Might get Javi to come with me."

Kassima is definitely anxious in asking, "D'you like them? I know I still
haven't taught you all the game, but you should have a deck, for
luck--Khari did the art of it--and the bracelet, Sythriva made that and
showed it t'me and it seemed right for you." She's as earnest as a small
child explaining to her parents why she thought a gift was a good idea. The
new rider's reaction relaxes her, and she offers a relieved grin. "You're
welcome, you're welcome! Congratulations again for the graduating. 'Tis
what they're for, a'course. Are you thinking of commissioning something? Or
buying out of what they have in stock?"

Gay tucks the box into a pants pocket after doing up the bracelet, still
smiling widely. "Did Khari do all of that? That's amazing! Mention how much
I like it, then? And thanks again." She holds up her arm over her glow to
admire the amber in better light. "It's really lovely. And I really don't
know," she admits. "My mother had something commissioned a few times, and
it did make a different - I guess. I'm not sure what's better."

"For a price she did. A discount price. Sometimes 'tis good t'be an
artist's mother." Kassi wrinkles her nose playfully; it's probable she's
teasing. "I'll mention it. Her artistic ego can always use more cossetting.
Methinks it looks well on you," of the bracelet; "I'm glad. What's the
better? Probably depends on what they have in stock and just how fancy the
occasion is, and how many marks you have--if'n you can find something that
fits and you like reasonably well already made, there's just nay reason
t'shell out the extra for custom design and fitting and what all. I should
go down t'take a look through the stock sometime, really... I don't know
whether I'd buy aught since I picked up a few new things a'fore Kazy he was
born and they're mostly still intact, but I like t'look. I'd just need
t'stay in hiding from Katlynn. Think you that you'd rather have a gown, or
leathers? Or have you nay preferences?"

"Oh, I think it'd look good on anyone, it's so pretty," says Gay,
straightening to look over at Kassima. She listens with her head tilted
slightly, nodding. "Hm - so, have to actually try some things on - but that
makes sense. I'd hope something would fit me - sounds easier. And Katlynn?"
There's a curious glance, as she goes back to a stack of tapestries,
lifting the corners one after another. "Not sure what's more appropriate.
If either's fine, I might like leathers, but I know I just don't want a
dress -just- because my mother always thought I should wear them. Seems
like a silly reason to avoid 'em."

Kassima smiles with pleasure at the first; clearly, Gay's good opinion of
the gift delights her. As to the second, "Aye; the fancier an item of
clothing is, the more ridiculous it looks when 'tis ill-fitting, I believe.
A Weaver might be able t'take measurements and tell you whether 'tis apt
t'fit you, but 'tis easier t'just try and see. Katlynn." Her mouth corners
quirk. "The Masterweaver. Very talented; very enthusiastic; she also thinks
she's in love with me. Or did last I knew. Leathers are appropriate for
almost aught--I don't know if'n I'd wear one to a formal ball in a Hold,
but you *could*. And they're better for Gathers, in some ways. Just try
competing in Gather games in a dress! You've nay particular bent against
dresses otherwise?"

Gay nods to the first, then with some little amusement, "She thinks she is?
Well, she might be? Is she insistent about it?" She turns back round to
gesture towards Kassi, as she says, "Well, that's the other thing - not
being able to move very well. I'd like to be able to do stuff -like- Gather
games and whatever. But maybe dresses are better for hatchings and all of
that." A shrug, adding, "I guess I'll figure it out, though those sets of
dress leathers I've seen are pretty smart-looking."

"She might be, but I'm inclined t'doubt it. She got fed up with the men she
was seeing," Kassi explains, her expression comically exasperated, "and
decided she'd like t'try women instead, and that's what led t'this great
revelation, apparently; only whenever she sees me, she mostly tries t'talk
me into group activities with her and I'sai and calls me disturbing pet
names. I'd say she's in lust if'n aught, but the idea disturbs me too much.
I'm nay sure I want t'see how she'd react t'me being pregnant again given
givens. Probably upset 'tisn't hers, and don't even ask me how that's
supposed t'work." Eyebrows popping up, the greenrider gives a vigorous
headshake. "You don't want t'wear a fancy gown to a Hatching! 'Tis bloody
*hot* even up on the ledges; you'd swelter t'death, and 'tis such a crush,
and so many people milling about... leathers are definitely better, or a
dress or skirt that's very simple. I've occasionally worn m'kilt and that
works fine. A'course, for Liabeth's clutches, you'll be a bit more on
center stage as 'twere; but you'll also be even hotter, so."

"Ah - well. She sounds like she makes things interesting, anyway - in a
strange way, but still..." Gay shakes her head, looking more than a little
confused by the idea of women fathering children, or perhaps by the idea of
Katlynn altogether. "Oh! Well, forget the stupid dress, then. I won't
bother with it, likely. Best to be mostly practical about it, I guess."

Kassima agrees with wholehearted cheer, "She's a complete nut. A fun nut,
though, when she isn't trying t'flirt with you. You'd probably be fine if'n
you ran into her down there, and Javi too." Pause. "I wouldn't want
t'promise, mind you. With Kat, you just never know. --Y'know, there's nay
reason, if'n you have the marks, that you couldn't get both. Particularly
if'n you just got a simple dress, or a skirt t'go with a blouse. Then you
could pick which t'wear depending on the occasion and the weather."

Gay grins at that, arching her brows. "Dos she flirt an awful -lot-? And
I'll keep in mind that you didn't promise, but I doubt I'd have -that- much
to worry about." She considers the offered option, leaning against one of
the shelves. "Might do that. I'm a little too tall for the dress I pulled
from here now, anyway." There's pause while she covers a yawn, blinking
from surprise. "Shards. I thought I was fine, and it just -hit- me... I
should get going."

"She does, at least with men. I'm nay sure whether I'm the only woman."
Kassi's grin is rueful, but good-humored. "I still like her, though; she's
sharding entertaining. Anyway. A'course--'tis late, and 'twill wish both
you and Liabeth a good sleep; I'm sorry if'n I distracted you from your
furniture search!"

"Oh, I'll find time for looking for furniture - I'd rather catch up
anyway." Gay pats her pocket, adding, "Thanks again, Kassi. And you and
Lysseth have a good night, hey. Let me know if you need any help with
anything - especially as you get further on." She nods towards her mentor's
middle, with a grin. "G'night!