Growing Girls
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Heather, Yvonne
Date Posted: 30th June 2014
Characters: Chaysea, Alina
Description: Alina needs a new dress, and takes the opportunity to chat with the Headwoman
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 7, day 15 of Turn 7
She'd been putting it off, but her talk with Ikalis and popping a button off the front of her dress was the final straw. Alina held her dress closed with pinched fingers and went to find the Headwoman half way through her morning chores. Luckily, Chaysea was in her office when she knocked. "Headwoman?"
Chaysea glanced up and motioned for the woman to come in, "Yes, what can I help you with?" She slid aside the weyr diagram she had been working on.
"Hi." Alina managed a rather awkward curtsey. "I was hoping to get your permission to take some fabric to sew an extension into my dress. I can't let it out anymore. And a button. I popped one this morning and I lost it."
The Headwoman gave Alina a measuring look, "I think it might be more beneficial if you got another new dress entirely, hm? I can take you to the storage room and let you look through what we have." Chaysea stood, "And have you considered a few pairs of breeches and tunics to wear for every day use? Save some wear and tear on your dresses." Not that Chaysea ever wore pants, but she wasn't a Candidate with Candidate chores either.
Pants?! Alina felt her cheeks warm a bit at the thought. As _if_ she'd wander around with her legs and backside exposed for everyone to see. But a new dress... it had been a very long time since she'd seen something new, that hadn't been a cast off of her mother's or someone else at the Cothold. "A new dress would be wonderful..."
Chaysea hid a smirk, noticing immediately that Alina made know mention of the offer for pants, "You know, if you Impress you will have to wear pants." She pointed out.
"And if I Impress, I'll worry about it then," the Candidate replied calmly. "Headwoman. Although..."
The Headwoman raised an eyebrow, "Come on. I will show you what dresses we have, and you can at least _look_ at the pants and tunics and see if anything strikes your fancy." Chaysea had a feeling that Alina had a tough road ahead of her in the Weyr if she insisted on clinging to her Holder background so fiercely. Even Chaysea was having to change some of her habits. Like swimming in an actual bathing suit. Or like swimming at all, for that matter.
"Maybe... my shoes are fine, but... could I maybe have a pair of sandals?" Alina asked. She wasn't about to wear pants, but bare feet... well, it wouldn't be acceptable at home, and would sure feel nice at the Weyr. Besides, who would ever notice?
Chaysea motioned for Alina to walk with her, "Of course. You will need sandals anyway for the Hatching." She opened up the door to the storage room, "Women's supplies are on that back wall."
"Thank you. I did have a pair, for the last Hatching, but they cut my feet." Alina headed toward the women's section, already eagerly eyeing up the racks of dresses. "I returned them afterward."
"Well, we definitely need to get you the right size this time." Chaysea said as she flicked open a trunk lid and pulled out a few neatly folded pair of breeches, "Just for your consideration. Of course you don't have to take any if you don't want them." She said before moving over to open the cabinet where rows of shoes were kept.
She was really pushing them. Alina stifled a sigh, then grabbed a pair of light green pants to hide away in her chest in the Candidate barracks. It would make the Headwoman happy, and she did want to impress her. She moved to join Chaysea by the shoes. "Thank you for this."
"The Weyr looks out for its own. Never hesitate to come and see me if there is something you have need of." Chaysea assured the Candidate with a smile. It wasn't like the Hold or Halls were the women were mostly left to scrounge for scraps at the bottom of the social caste system while males were handed everything they needed to succeed.
Alina nodded. "I'm happy to do some extra chores in return. I'm good with sums, if you need anything."
"I will keep that in mind, Alina, but I wouldn't want to take away from your Candidate lessons and the chores that you already have." Chaysea assured her.
"Of course." Alina felt a bit stung by the Headwoman's words, but she wasn't sure what she'd expected in the first place. For the Headwoman to jump for joy? That wasn't how the world worked, and she ought to know better. She reached for a brown pair that looked like they'd fit, set them on the floor, and kicked off her shoes. Hopefully her feet didn't smell too badly. "These might fit..."
Chaysea watched, and found herself wondering what sort of family Alina had come from, and that train of thought led her to the entire filing cabinet drawer with Candidate background and information that sat in the corner of her office. At least she would have some reading to keep her company that night.
Alina made a circut of the room in the sandals, then rejected them and tried a second pair. Those she found to her liking, so she tucked them under her arm and returned to where the Headwoman was waiting. "I think I'll like these. Thank you."
"Of course." Chaysea smiled, "Anything else?"
"Umm... just the word dress." She gestured a little sheepishly to the popped button on the front of the dress she was wearing. "If there's somewhere I can try them on... I'm sure I can find one on my own. I'm sure you have better things to do than watch me."
Chaysea seemed to contemplate that, she did have another meeting to get to with the kitchen staff, "The storage room locks from the inside," she gestured to the door, "try on what you like and just make sure to shutter the basket of glows before you leave."
"Thank you, I will." A smile crept across Alina's face as she turned toward the dresses. It had been so long since she'd had something new... and maybe something pretty. Sure, it would be for chores and classes, and she'd still have to wear her old things, but her grey dress would be wearing out soon and maybe Chaysea would let her come back again...
Last updated on the July 1st 2014