A Happy Turn To You

Writers: Ames, Eimi
Date Posted: 22nd June 2013

Characters: Elmaldi, Vestian
Description: The Master and Apprentice chat at Turn's End Celebrations
Location: Harper Hall
Date: month 13, day 29 of Turn 6

Vestian

She was happy. It was Turn's End and the celebration was already in
full swing. With the help of her _few_ friends, Elmaldi had actually
been having a good time. The celebrations were huge this Turn as the
Hall celebrated it's new home.

She'd just finished a little dance with some of the other apprentices
when she excused herself to go get some refreshment and cool down.
Elmaldi had never had so much fun. She was finally starting to come
out of her shell and she owed it to a few people who had pushed her.

She froze a few feet from the refreshment table when she spotted one
such person. Vestian. Her attraction for him only grew with each
lesson they spent together. In particular, however, things had changed
a bit during their recent lesson when the truth about their shared
past had been revealed.

"Happy Turn's End," she greeted him as she moved to the punch bowl to
fill herself a glass.

"And a Happy Turn to you, too, Elmaldi," Vestian smiled. He was in a
good mood. Several people had taken the trouble to congratulate him,
not only on earning his knots, but on the success of his special
exhibition not so long ago. It always made him feel good to know that
people appreciated his work. And none seemed to appreciate him more
than his little apprentice! Yes, he was very happy to bump into her.
"What do you and your friends have planned for the Turns End? Don't
worry, I won't tell anyone," he said with a conspiratorial lean closer.
He could remember vividly the trouble he and his friends had gotten into
around Turns End, when Masters were often too busy or focusing their
attention elsewhere to pay too close mind of the apprentices.

She shrugged. She didn't really have many plans.

"We haven't made many plans really. I've heard some talking of things,
but I'm not involved in much, myself. I've spent the better part of
the evening with just a few close friends." She turned and looked back
at the group. It was nice to actually be able to say that she _had_
some friends, though not many.

"I actually wish sometimes I could be home with my family on days like
these. We'd sit together and play games and tell stories. It was quite
a wonderful, intimate time we shared," Elmaldi reminisced while she
added some treats to a plate for herself.

Vestian couldn't quite relate. He spent time with his family because it
was expected of him on Turn Over, but as soon as he could find an excuse
to get away, he would. The children would get excited, loud, and bounce
around from plac to place. It was total chaos and it made him
uncomfortable to be around. How other fathers could 'take joy' in time
with their children, he couldn't fathom. But he nodded as if he
understood perfectly what she was saying. Vestian had accepted long ago
that _he_ was the strange one, and had learned to cover it as best as he
could.

"You look very nice today," he said, falling back on pleasantries to
change the subject to something a bit safer.

"Thank you," she replied, smoothing her hands over the dress she'd
chosen. She hardly ever wore dresses, but some of the other girls
convinced her she looked dashing in it. It was true that she only
wanted one person to notice and she all but beamed that he had.

"I thought it fit the occasion," she added happily. She wanted to find
something more to continue their conversation. She didn't want it to
end.

"Do you have any special plans for the evening and whole Turn Over
celebrations?" She asked, hoping to keep his attention for the time
being.

He picked over some of the fruit still on the tray on the buffet table.
"We'll visit with family a bit, but I have a lot of work to do, so
nothing very special." And it ensured he could escape to the safety of
his own little private studio, where not even his wife was allowed to
cross into. "Do you have family in the area?"

"Not really, no. They are all back at the Hold. It gets rather lonely
without them here," she remarked, reaching for some fruit of her own.

For the briefest of moments, the idea flashed through Vestian's mind
that perhaps he could invite her to visit his family on Turns End. But
why would he do that? That would be a rather friendly and open gesture.
Was it because in their last meeting he had let down his guard and had
started talking to her like a friend rather than a student? No, it was
not a good idea, he decided.

"I hear they brought these redfruit from Amber Hills," he said in a
pathetic attempt to change the subject yet again. "Good, aren't they?"

Elmaldi picked one up and tasted it, allowing the sweet juices to roll
around her tongue. A few drops dripped out of her mouth. She flicked
her tongue out to capture them.

"They are delicious," she said excitedly. "I've never been to Amber
Hills. I hear it's marvelous there. Have you ever traveled there?"
Elmaldi was eager to see more of the world. She'd only seen the small
Hold she'd grown up in and the few things since she'd come to the
Harper Hall. She hadn't even been with the Hall long enough to get a
good taste of the Weyr while they'd been there. She felt like there
was so much to see, so much adventure out there, waiting for her.

"I passed through on my way to Amethyst Cliff. I was there a few Turns
before it was destroyed in the big quake." It was amazing to think that
somewhere he had been not so long ago was completely gone. "It's a
beautiful area. Much different to Emerald Falls. The landscape is
amazing. I would love to go back and actually stay there a few days.
The hills truly are amber colored, as the name suggests. And you can
see much higher mountains beyond that show up in shades of purple
against the sky." He was getting excited as he described the grandeur
of the place. That was one of his favorite things about traveling. He
always felt inspired by the change of scenery. "I tried to do a
painting from memory. I think it's rather accurate, but I wish I could
take it back and compare it."

She hung on his every word. "Oh, that sounds marvelous," she breathed
excitedly when he finished. "I can only imagine how many wonderful
paintings and drawings one could make in such a grandiose place. Oh,
how I wish I could see it for myself. See _any_ of those places. I've
seen so little of the world, it's hard to imagine creating images of
things I've never really seen for myself." Her hands clasped in front
of her as her eyes seemed to dark upward as though daydreaming about
the places she'd never seen.

"I bet your painting would be even better in the _actual_ location.
I'm sure you captured it just right. Could I see it sometime? The
painting you made?"

"Well, it's in my studio..." And _no_ one was allowed in there. But he
did want to show it to someone. He was sure she would like it. Maybe
he could pull it out some time. "You know, the Hallmaster said the next
time I go out on assignment you might be able to come with me. He
thinks you should see how the painting process really works."

She'd never seen his studio and might have said as much had his next
words not caused her undue excitement.

"Seriously?" She asked in a gleeful voice. She reached for his hands
and actual squeezed them in her joyous, youthful exuberance. "Oh, that
would be a dream come true. To actually be able to _see_ things in the
world that I've only ever imagined before!" Elmaldi was beaming with
sheer excitement at the prospect.

Vestian was not accustomed to displays of affection, spontaneous or
otherwise. It surprised him to much he wasn't quite sure how to react.
"Yes, well..." Finally he just gave her hands a quick squeeze in return
and then pulled them away, seemingly to refill his glass. "It might
not be too long before I get sent out, so maybe you won't have long to
wait. I've heard Holder Ringal of Rock Slip Hold might like a portrait
of his mother done for her birthingday. And as the great lady is too
old to travel, I might have to go to her. It wouldn't be a long trip,
but I think you would be coming with me."

She didn't even notice he'd pulled his hands away. Elmaldi was near to
bursting with excitement.

"I've _always_ wanted to travel. I cannot wait to go. Will I get time
to practice my skills as well? What will I have to do to assist you?"
She didn't really know if by going with him she was more his assistant
or it was just a way for her to continue her studies. Elmaldi didn't
care. She was eager to draw somewhere else, to see as much of the
world as she could.

"That remains to be seen. Maybe just fetch and carry this first time.
Or maybe just watch the process and we can figure out how best to use
you." This was his first time working with an assistant, and while he
had been in her position once, it remained to be seen just how would use
her. "Like I said, it's not certain yet." He almost added that if they
were to go, it would most likely be adragonback, but then she might get
bouncing and grab him again, and he now had a drink in his hand.

"Of course," Elmaldi replied, reigning in some of her excitement. His
words made her realize she was going a bit over the top and that might
lead to her _not_ being able to go and assist him. "I promise I will
do whatever you ask me to do. If I can help, I would be honored. If
not, I will be pleased to simply watch you work and learn from you."

He gave her a smile, glad she understood that she would not be trusted
with too much right away. "If not this time, than soon. Now that Turns
End is finished, there's more time for working on commissions, and
plenty of new building start to go up around this time, so that means
mural work. Those take a lot longer than portraits, but I'm sure you'll
come with me for some of those as well."

Elmaldi was excited to think that she might get to travel with Vestian
soon.

"I'm looking forward to the opportunity," she replied with a smile,
just as she heard someone calling her name.

Glancing back, she gave him a small smile, "It looks like my friends
are looking for me. Enjoy the rest of your evening." She didn't want
to leave, but she didn't want her few friends thinking she was
ignoring them either. It had been hard enough to even _make_ friends,
she wanted to do everything in her power to _keep_ them.

Vestian had turned when he heard someone calling her name, and smiled at
the memory of his own friends back in his apprentice days and the
excitement of a new Turn. "I'll see you after the break then, Elmaldi.
Enjoy your time with your friends. A happy new Turn to you."

Last updated on the June 26th 2013

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A Happy Turn To You