Who: Jacta and Cathryn
When: Anesus 1, Between 12:30 and 1:30
Where: Castle Main Hall
Although Jacta was not a nocturnal creature, and once she had discovered a free room -- upstairs, an inner room that lacked a window -- she was very tempted to drop her pack and climb onto the bed to sleep, but she was still uncertain if the night's challenges were over. She had been expecting some kind of formal greeting, but all she had found were older compound-dwellers waiting up for them, inspecting them, rarely engaging with them in conversation. Lykos, human, Vrykolas... the older of the lot seemed less likely to judge Jacta and the other newcomers by species, and more by the merit of their determination.
When: Anesus 1, Between 12:30 and 1:30
Where: Castle Main Hall
Although Jacta was not a nocturnal creature, and once she had discovered a free room -- upstairs, an inner room that lacked a window -- she was very tempted to drop her pack and climb onto the bed to sleep, but she was still uncertain if the night's challenges were over. She had been expecting some kind of formal greeting, but all she had found were older compound-dwellers waiting up for them, inspecting them, rarely engaging with them in conversation. Lykos, human, Vrykolas... the older of the lot seemed less likely to judge Jacta and the other newcomers by species, and more by the merit of their determination.
So Jacta had stowed her pack, touched up enough to look passable, found her key -- it had been tucked under the wash basin in her room in easy sight, as opposed to under her pillow as she'd overheard from others -- and returned to the main floor. What she wanted was some older, more experienced company, but any would do right now. She felt particularly isolated now that Harbenae and her father were gone. She didn't like the feeling at all.
Her eyes wandered over those who were still down here, wondering if Tabrika had retreated to a room to hide and sulk. Things were a little different now that everybody was sequestered indoors... while the air of waiting for something to happen hadn't abated, Jacta was beginning to think that it was they who were supposed to act first. The castle was bigger than she could have imagined; quite alien from the low to the ground structures that she'd encountered or the covered wagons that she'd lived in most her life. Before she went to bed, the human was hoping to do a little exploring. She just wanted to know what to expect. Having some company would make the task much less daunting!
Her eyes wandered over those who were still down here, wondering if Tabrika had retreated to a room to hide and sulk. Things were a little different now that everybody was sequestered indoors... while the air of waiting for something to happen hadn't abated, Jacta was beginning to think that it was they who were supposed to act first. The castle was bigger than she could have imagined; quite alien from the low to the ground structures that she'd encountered or the covered wagons that she'd lived in most her life. Before she went to bed, the human was hoping to do a little exploring. She just wanted to know what to expect. Having some company would make the task much less daunting!
Cathryn was facing a similar dilemma, though she admitted she had caused it herself. When the newest members of the Compound had dispersed through the castle, she'd found herself among the number having gone down the stairs into the cooler, somewhat danker underbelly. To her thinking, a good look around the premises before asking what the rooming situation was like would help her come to terms with her home of the next five years. No wait, she amended, her next seven years.
Once downstairs, however, the people who had taken to talking to each other had further separated, seeking out comfort in similarly new faces or the posturing of the older members who poked their heads out of doors and took stock of the new arrivals. Cathryn had felt nervous, reminding herself the feeling was ridiculous in a sense, despite the crashing yowl she heard down one of the two hallways.
It hadn't taken her too long to figure out what quite a few of the others her age seemed to have already done. Rooms weren't waiting to be assigned - they were waiting to be claimed. Hoping she wasn't misinformed, Cathryn had taken measured steps and looked into the chambers where the bedrooms appeared to be located, presuming those with doors left wide open were seeking new habitants and were not simply left vacant for the moment.
Finding one promising room, corners dusty and unkempt, she decided to take the chance and claim it as her own. The lack of a window didn't bother her for long. She was used to rising before the sun, and if nothing else, going outside to simply view the outside would hardly be outlawed. Knowing nothing much about the Compound left much to her imagination, and Cathryn wasn't one much for imagining unless pressed.
She would have almost happily stayed in her new home for the remainder of the night if she hadn't found herself itching to move after sitting still for about five minutes. The wait for the gates to open had been one thing; now that she was inside, Cathryn didn't feel a lessening of the tension that had kept her sleepless traveling here. In an effort to try to relieve that pressure through work, she'd started cleaning, only to run into the problem of not knowing where any outside supplies could be located - let alone a place where she could draw water for laundry.
With a dirty tunic in hand, Cathryn had set out to find somebody to ask for guidance, only to find herself back on the ground floor and clueless on who to ask first.
Need to start somewhere, she thought, making up her mind. She approached a capable looking young woman, who may or may not have been around Cathryn's own age. "You wouldn't happen to have any idea where someone could get washed up around here, do you?"
Once downstairs, however, the people who had taken to talking to each other had further separated, seeking out comfort in similarly new faces or the posturing of the older members who poked their heads out of doors and took stock of the new arrivals. Cathryn had felt nervous, reminding herself the feeling was ridiculous in a sense, despite the crashing yowl she heard down one of the two hallways.
It hadn't taken her too long to figure out what quite a few of the others her age seemed to have already done. Rooms weren't waiting to be assigned - they were waiting to be claimed. Hoping she wasn't misinformed, Cathryn had taken measured steps and looked into the chambers where the bedrooms appeared to be located, presuming those with doors left wide open were seeking new habitants and were not simply left vacant for the moment.
Finding one promising room, corners dusty and unkempt, she decided to take the chance and claim it as her own. The lack of a window didn't bother her for long. She was used to rising before the sun, and if nothing else, going outside to simply view the outside would hardly be outlawed. Knowing nothing much about the Compound left much to her imagination, and Cathryn wasn't one much for imagining unless pressed.
She would have almost happily stayed in her new home for the remainder of the night if she hadn't found herself itching to move after sitting still for about five minutes. The wait for the gates to open had been one thing; now that she was inside, Cathryn didn't feel a lessening of the tension that had kept her sleepless traveling here. In an effort to try to relieve that pressure through work, she'd started cleaning, only to run into the problem of not knowing where any outside supplies could be located - let alone a place where she could draw water for laundry.
With a dirty tunic in hand, Cathryn had set out to find somebody to ask for guidance, only to find herself back on the ground floor and clueless on who to ask first.
Need to start somewhere, she thought, making up her mind. She approached a capable looking young woman, who may or may not have been around Cathryn's own age. "You wouldn't happen to have any idea where someone could get washed up around here, do you?"
When one of the other first-years strode out of the milling left-overs gathered in the main hall, Jacta gave the other woman a similar appraisal. Taller than her, with pale skin and long hair -- her clothing marked her as human, or as close to human as Jacta was able to distinguish. It was difficult without the cultural indicators to know who was what, she was finding more and more.
She noticed the balled up tunic in the young woman's hands, and so the question that followed seemed natural enough. "As a matter of fact, I don't, but then again if you're looking, I wouldn't mind finding out, myself." She put a hand forward to be shaken, in what she was becoming peripherally aware of as a distinctly human tradition. "I'm Jacta Serosum, one of the first-years." Scanning the building rather than the crowd, now, she took stock of the doors that led off the main hall. She remembered seeing some smaller corridors and doors when she'd first followed the flock of other eighteen-year-olds to the staircase, but hadn't bothered to explore beyond the crowd; in any case, it was a good bet that anything dealing with water would be closer to the kitchens, which she had taken note of almost as soon as she realized that some of the older students were getting themselves midnight snacks!
"I'm guessing the cooking room would be a good start," she rephrased out loud, a wry grin slipping into place. "Need water to cook most things, right?"
She noticed the balled up tunic in the young woman's hands, and so the question that followed seemed natural enough. "As a matter of fact, I don't, but then again if you're looking, I wouldn't mind finding out, myself." She put a hand forward to be shaken, in what she was becoming peripherally aware of as a distinctly human tradition. "I'm Jacta Serosum, one of the first-years." Scanning the building rather than the crowd, now, she took stock of the doors that led off the main hall. She remembered seeing some smaller corridors and doors when she'd first followed the flock of other eighteen-year-olds to the staircase, but hadn't bothered to explore beyond the crowd; in any case, it was a good bet that anything dealing with water would be closer to the kitchens, which she had taken note of almost as soon as she realized that some of the older students were getting themselves midnight snacks!
"I'm guessing the cooking room would be a good start," she rephrased out loud, a wry grin slipping into place. "Need water to cook most things, right?"
"Cathryn Ivensbury," she said, extending her own rough hand for a firm handshake. "Also one of the first years," Cathryn continued, "If my question alone didn't make that obvious. Pleased to meet you, Jacta." The other young woman's name had a pleasant, foreign sound. Cathryn vaguely wondered where she was from, but didn't pursue the thought.
Cathryn returned Jacta's grin with a far more subdued smile. "Right. Where they're cooking, there must be water near enough by to make it efficient." Her eyes lit up, partially out of curiosity, but mostly out of the desire to simply know more about this new place. "Best to start hoofing it, unless you're waiting for someone." Cathryn half-turned, looking at some of the other folks still in the general vicinity. "Think we should ask anyone else to come along if they'd like?" She liked to assume at least some of the people would tag along, if just to take a certain shelter in the company of strangers in a strange place. It would be far more practical to organize everyone downstairs into a group walk-through, so there would be more of them who knew where everything was located, but even the timing of the gates tonight had been slightly shy of practical.
Cathryn returned Jacta's grin with a far more subdued smile. "Right. Where they're cooking, there must be water near enough by to make it efficient." Her eyes lit up, partially out of curiosity, but mostly out of the desire to simply know more about this new place. "Best to start hoofing it, unless you're waiting for someone." Cathryn half-turned, looking at some of the other folks still in the general vicinity. "Think we should ask anyone else to come along if they'd like?" She liked to assume at least some of the people would tag along, if just to take a certain shelter in the company of strangers in a strange place. It would be far more practical to organize everyone downstairs into a group walk-through, so there would be more of them who knew where everything was located, but even the timing of the gates tonight had been slightly shy of practical.
"Hey, if they want to come along, they can come along -- I'm guessing that either someone's going to show up in the morning to officially welcome us, or it's normal to leave new people like us hanging." Calluses grated on one another momentarily, but the two girls seemed to be getting along fine upon introduction! Jacta cast one last look around as Cathryn was doing, then started the short distance from where she'd been loafing in the hall to the nearest of the kitche doors. "I'm also guessing that they don't think first and foremost in terms of 'practical' around here. Who knows how the Vrykolas and Lykos think." She was consciously attempting to avoid any slang that she'd picked up; 'biters' and 'howlers' wouldn't be appreciated, she was sure.
"Probably much like we do - in the best interests of ourselves and those important to us first, and what else we need to second." Cathryn shrugged her shoulders as she kept pace with Jacta. "I don't know. I'm not much cut out for thinking about the whys and why nots of people's behavior."
The kitchen doors were almost misleading, once inside. Certainly the Compound had many mouths to feed, even discounting the ones who would prefer something other than the standard fare Cathryn herself was used to. Still, the kitchens were dauntingly large.
Cathryn took a moment to be impressed. Those fireplaces - the ovens! There was a certain amount of luxury in the size and plenitude of the pots and pans and everything in between - but also just that much more upkeep. "I hope we have teams of people keeping this place clean," she said, more to herself than to Jacta. Looking around, Cathryn moved toward a counter-space that looked promising. "May as well pick a place and start looking!" She paused, a pretty goblet catching her eye.
"Huh." She picked it up, feeling it's weight as she looked back toward Jacta. "These must have come out of one of the larger communities."
The kitchen doors were almost misleading, once inside. Certainly the Compound had many mouths to feed, even discounting the ones who would prefer something other than the standard fare Cathryn herself was used to. Still, the kitchens were dauntingly large.
Cathryn took a moment to be impressed. Those fireplaces - the ovens! There was a certain amount of luxury in the size and plenitude of the pots and pans and everything in between - but also just that much more upkeep. "I hope we have teams of people keeping this place clean," she said, more to herself than to Jacta. Looking around, Cathryn moved toward a counter-space that looked promising. "May as well pick a place and start looking!" She paused, a pretty goblet catching her eye.
"Huh." She picked it up, feeling it's weight as she looked back toward Jacta. "These must have come out of one of the larger communities."
"Tell me about it," Jacta replied, smiling at Cathryn's comment, but added nothing else, as they had passed through the doors to the kitchen and she was just as thoroughly amazed by the size of the place. Coming from a lifestyle of eating over camp-fires and snatching meals from farmsteads while they worked, this place seemed overly opulent. Jacta was a little overwhelmed.
Staring around (and up, and around some more), she dumbly followed Cathryn to one of the many work-surfaces. She was knocked out of her reverie when Cathryn hefted one of the metal goblets that were lined in a row for easy access. Grinning, leaning forward and flicking her finger against the body of the big old mug to hear its reverberations, she added, "let's hope they have the proper beverages to fill these things!"
Speaking of which, she had watched an older resident coming out from a closed room, an apple in hand. Moving to that portion of the kitchen, she ducked her head inside and then out again: "if you're hungry, I don't think you'd have to look any further than this!" She seemed more awake now, but then she was intent on filing every little thing away for later.
Staring around (and up, and around some more), she dumbly followed Cathryn to one of the many work-surfaces. She was knocked out of her reverie when Cathryn hefted one of the metal goblets that were lined in a row for easy access. Grinning, leaning forward and flicking her finger against the body of the big old mug to hear its reverberations, she added, "let's hope they have the proper beverages to fill these things!"
Speaking of which, she had watched an older resident coming out from a closed room, an apple in hand. Moving to that portion of the kitchen, she ducked her head inside and then out again: "if you're hungry, I don't think you'd have to look any further than this!" She seemed more awake now, but then she was intent on filing every little thing away for later.
"A pantry?" Cathryn joined Jacta, curious. She peered in, mouth opening in a moue of appreciation. "Goodness, I don't think I've ever seen so much to eat before in my life!" Let alone in the variety of things she could make out from where she stood. "You wouldn't have to worry about filling those mugs, even if they don't have anything right now." Cathryn pointed past Jacta's head. "No mistake, that's barley, and Bessimal isn't know for just it's wheat and rye."
Stepping back, Cathryn kept moving. She felt the tension and adrenaline from earlier was keeping her on her feet, and would give out before she'd learn half of what was necessary to function well within the Compound - if she could ever learn enough.
Eyeing the counter-tops critically, Cathryn moved toward a promising rise, and was rewarded with a proper water basin, but no pump in sight. "I've found a drain over here, but it looks like the water comes in from somewhere else. Maybe it's hidden in here, or maybe there's a door out to a pump?"
Stepping back, Cathryn kept moving. She felt the tension and adrenaline from earlier was keeping her on her feet, and would give out before she'd learn half of what was necessary to function well within the Compound - if she could ever learn enough.
Eyeing the counter-tops critically, Cathryn moved toward a promising rise, and was rewarded with a proper water basin, but no pump in sight. "I've found a drain over here, but it looks like the water comes in from somewhere else. Maybe it's hidden in here, or maybe there's a door out to a pump?"
"Bessimalli, huh?" Jacta trailed after Cathryn again, appreciative of the young woman in a different sense now. "Are you from a farmstead or a stillery? My caravan's been through the city-state a few times and my dad always had things to say about you." 'You' obviously meaning the denizens of Bessimal, rather than Cathryn herself! And Jacta had refrained from saying 'good things' or 'bad things', for with the city-states main export, there were an abundance of both topics.
Moving back to the conversation at hand, Jacta answered, "probably a pump... but I didn't see anything like one out in the courtyard. Just some fire-pits. Um." She tapped her lip, spinning on her heel. "Well, let's try this door; I'm sure that we won't get scolded for wandering if we didn't even get a set of rules to follow." She started towards a wide, hinged door and pushed through.
Mage-lights cast enough of a glow to see by, but the somewhat chilly place would obviously be more inviting by sunlight. In the center of the square room, a raised cylinder of the same faultless granite and mortar that made up the castle walls took precedence, its top currently covered by two slabs of wood to keep detritus out of the water below -- and to prevent any accidents. Above the closed well, a contraption of rope and wood and had been constructed, the bucket that was obviously used to bring up water still attached to the rope. It had been secured against one of the posts for easy reach, its handle latched against a nail in the wood.
Tugging at one of the leather straps used to open the well, Jacta gave a grunt of effort before she was able to lift this half of the covering off. She peered in, gave a sniff, and smiled. No sulfurous odors, like on some of the farmsteads she'd worked at. "Jackpot," she kept her voice low, but her enthusiasm was evident. "It's about as close to crystal clean as you're going to get, too!"
Moving back to the conversation at hand, Jacta answered, "probably a pump... but I didn't see anything like one out in the courtyard. Just some fire-pits. Um." She tapped her lip, spinning on her heel. "Well, let's try this door; I'm sure that we won't get scolded for wandering if we didn't even get a set of rules to follow." She started towards a wide, hinged door and pushed through.
Mage-lights cast enough of a glow to see by, but the somewhat chilly place would obviously be more inviting by sunlight. In the center of the square room, a raised cylinder of the same faultless granite and mortar that made up the castle walls took precedence, its top currently covered by two slabs of wood to keep detritus out of the water below -- and to prevent any accidents. Above the closed well, a contraption of rope and wood and had been constructed, the bucket that was obviously used to bring up water still attached to the rope. It had been secured against one of the posts for easy reach, its handle latched against a nail in the wood.
Tugging at one of the leather straps used to open the well, Jacta gave a grunt of effort before she was able to lift this half of the covering off. She peered in, gave a sniff, and smiled. No sulfurous odors, like on some of the farmsteads she'd worked at. "Jackpot," she kept her voice low, but her enthusiasm was evident. "It's about as close to crystal clean as you're going to get, too!"
"Farmstead," Cathryn said with a nod. "Though my father's Partner's husband operated a small distillery, along with his sister and her husband." Family relationships and the numbers of people who lived on or around the same parcel of land varied greatly, sometimes even depending on time of year.
Following Jacta through the other door into the well-room, Cathryn paused to absorb the scene. The sight of the well itself was reassuringly normal, but the particulars of the enclosure were new.
"Such a large room for one well," she said, coming up next to Jacta to peer in the dark well. "And you're right - it may not smell like home, but it will certainly taste better! The last thing needed for a place this big is bad water." Thinking in literal terms, Cathryn would be entirely oblivious to any possible metaphorical value.
Setting her dirty tunic by her feet, Cathryn looked around for a container to keep the water in after lifting it from the well. Several carrying buckets were lined up against the wall, and she walked over toward them. In doing so, she noticed a narrow hall leading off to the right. Grabbing one of the buckets, Cathryn peered through the dim mage-lit hall, unable to see the other end. "There's something off this way, too! A connecting hall, maybe back toward the courtyard?"
Following Jacta through the other door into the well-room, Cathryn paused to absorb the scene. The sight of the well itself was reassuringly normal, but the particulars of the enclosure were new.
"Such a large room for one well," she said, coming up next to Jacta to peer in the dark well. "And you're right - it may not smell like home, but it will certainly taste better! The last thing needed for a place this big is bad water." Thinking in literal terms, Cathryn would be entirely oblivious to any possible metaphorical value.
Setting her dirty tunic by her feet, Cathryn looked around for a container to keep the water in after lifting it from the well. Several carrying buckets were lined up against the wall, and she walked over toward them. In doing so, she noticed a narrow hall leading off to the right. Grabbing one of the buckets, Cathryn peered through the dim mage-lit hall, unable to see the other end. "There's something off this way, too! A connecting hall, maybe back toward the courtyard?"
Jacta's ability to sleuth out puns was unfortunately lacking, so the comment about bad-water simply went under the bridge. She'd followed Cathryn's familial relations in only the way that a human can, nodding understanding, going above the intricate web of who-dun-what to try to remember if she'd maybe, just maybe, actually met Cathryn before. She didn't think so, and she was fairly good at remembering faces. It was more likely that another caravan had swung the Bessamali's way, since Jacta's division tended to move along the southern coast and up into the central plains.
She had been busy pulling up the second half of the well-cover when Cathryn noticed the hall, and so her guess was a little distracted: "well the stairs are that way, so maybe they attach here. It'd make sense," she remembered their earlier talk of convenience, and laid the hinged well-door to rest before looking down the hall again. "Then again... care to take a look?" She donned that companionable grin. It had been a long time since she'd actually gone exploring on her 'own'.
She had been busy pulling up the second half of the well-cover when Cathryn noticed the hall, and so her guess was a little distracted: "well the stairs are that way, so maybe they attach here. It'd make sense," she remembered their earlier talk of convenience, and laid the hinged well-door to rest before looking down the hall again. "Then again... care to take a look?" She donned that companionable grin. It had been a long time since she'd actually gone exploring on her 'own'.
Glancing briefly down at the bucket in her hand, Cathryn thought for a moment before nodding. "If it leads out, then we've a better idea of the layout here. If it leads to another room, then at least we'll know where that is, too." She swung the bucket up over her shoulder, allowing the empty wooden holder to rest against her scapula as she moved forward.
It didn't occur to Cathryn to be surprised she hadn't run into any one of the other, older residents of the Compound once out of the sleeping halls and the main room. Walking the long, narrow hall into another large, high-ceilinged room, the first thing Cathryn noticed were the large basins decorating the middle of the room. The second was the unmistakable, if very light, scent of urine. "What is this, a cleaning room?" The idea that an entire, large space be set aside for attending the various bodies and functions of those bodies that might need cleaning fascinated Cathryn. If nothing else, this area would be easier to keep clean, with the stone flooring instead of the packed dirt she was used to.
She set her bucket down in one of the large basins, spotting what looked like someone else's forgotten tunic draped over the lip of another such basin. It seems like she'd found at least one unofficial laundry area!
It didn't occur to Cathryn to be surprised she hadn't run into any one of the other, older residents of the Compound once out of the sleeping halls and the main room. Walking the long, narrow hall into another large, high-ceilinged room, the first thing Cathryn noticed were the large basins decorating the middle of the room. The second was the unmistakable, if very light, scent of urine. "What is this, a cleaning room?" The idea that an entire, large space be set aside for attending the various bodies and functions of those bodies that might need cleaning fascinated Cathryn. If nothing else, this area would be easier to keep clean, with the stone flooring instead of the packed dirt she was used to.
She set her bucket down in one of the large basins, spotting what looked like someone else's forgotten tunic draped over the lip of another such basin. It seems like she'd found at least one unofficial laundry area!
"Looks like one..." Jacta answered, breaking away from Cathryn in order to better explore the partitioned sections of the room. Unlike the other human, Jacta was growing a little worried that nobody else seemed to be around. Nobody to greet them, just some elder residents who had settled into the main hall to watch, mostly quiet and stony faced. Nobody to tell them what should and shouldn't be done, nobody even to warn them about the little eccentricities of the castle or of its various inhabitants. It didn't bode very well, and Jacta was more than a little peeved that after the days-worth of travel and the entire afternoon wasted, sitting outside the huge main walls of the compound, the actual admittance to the damned place was so anticlimactic.
She was already building in her mind some kind of framework by which to go about day to day life: introduce herself, make herself useful, form some kind of bonds. She didn't think that she could handle six years ghosting around with nothing to do... but then again, she hadn't even heard of the nightly challenges yet. Who knew what was in store for them if nobody ever said a damned thing?
She pulled back curtains to reveal tubs big enough to sit in, and indeed, it was a mostly-used bar of soap in the bottom of one that explained their purpose. Very fancy -- the entire place reeked of extravagance that wasn't entirely human. Once again, Jacta wondered why the faceless 'they' had gone to such efforts to make life here so easy, without going on to explain how to use everything. She assumed that somebody who put the effort into plumbing like this -- she'd found the covered and bespelled latrines -- would want its users to keep it in tip-top shape. Winds knew that if she were in charge of these kinds of facilities, she'd be on the backs of the new arrivals in a second. "Close the lid, clean up after yourself, take care of things!" When life's little joys relied so heavily upon the care of tools and materials, it seemed alien not to reinforce that mindset on others.
Jacta returned to Cathryn, her brow lined in an outward sign of her confusion. "Are you going to scrub that down tonight, then? I didn't see any lines." If there had been any laundry lines outside in her brief glance around the courtyard, Jacta had missed them. She wouldn't be surprised if they'd been moved inside -- the weather was chilly enough to half-freeze a tunic or a sheet before it dried! Neither had she found any soap stored away... either they were supposed to bring those supplies themselves (for six years?!) or they were looking in the wrong room.
She was already building in her mind some kind of framework by which to go about day to day life: introduce herself, make herself useful, form some kind of bonds. She didn't think that she could handle six years ghosting around with nothing to do... but then again, she hadn't even heard of the nightly challenges yet. Who knew what was in store for them if nobody ever said a damned thing?
She pulled back curtains to reveal tubs big enough to sit in, and indeed, it was a mostly-used bar of soap in the bottom of one that explained their purpose. Very fancy -- the entire place reeked of extravagance that wasn't entirely human. Once again, Jacta wondered why the faceless 'they' had gone to such efforts to make life here so easy, without going on to explain how to use everything. She assumed that somebody who put the effort into plumbing like this -- she'd found the covered and bespelled latrines -- would want its users to keep it in tip-top shape. Winds knew that if she were in charge of these kinds of facilities, she'd be on the backs of the new arrivals in a second. "Close the lid, clean up after yourself, take care of things!" When life's little joys relied so heavily upon the care of tools and materials, it seemed alien not to reinforce that mindset on others.
Jacta returned to Cathryn, her brow lined in an outward sign of her confusion. "Are you going to scrub that down tonight, then? I didn't see any lines." If there had been any laundry lines outside in her brief glance around the courtyard, Jacta had missed them. She wouldn't be surprised if they'd been moved inside -- the weather was chilly enough to half-freeze a tunic or a sheet before it dried! Neither had she found any soap stored away... either they were supposed to bring those supplies themselves (for six years?!) or they were looking in the wrong room.
Cathryn had been looking around, and come up empty handed. "I have enough of what I'd brought to take care of this tonight if I wanted to, but I didn't expect things would be like this." She gestured to the room as a whole, and then shrugged. "Maybe we'll find someone in the morning willing to let us know where they keep things in this place, and how they take care of chores and daily living. Magic can't be the responsible party, and not everyone seemed to have the dust problem I did downstairs."
She sighed, picking the bucket back up. "I don't know where they keep the firewood, or the coals, to heat up water for laundry. I don't see any lye, so unless we're making that on our own, or some is hidden away in a cupboard, I'm going to need to find enough fat to make more."
"Hopefully this is just an oversight on the part of the older residents. I can't imagine this project produces great results if all it's loose ends are this frayed every day. You might not be able to run a farm without enough hands, but you certainly can't run a farm if the only thing you have is hands, either."
She sighed, picking the bucket back up. "I don't know where they keep the firewood, or the coals, to heat up water for laundry. I don't see any lye, so unless we're making that on our own, or some is hidden away in a cupboard, I'm going to need to find enough fat to make more."
"Hopefully this is just an oversight on the part of the older residents. I can't imagine this project produces great results if all it's loose ends are this frayed every day. You might not be able to run a farm without enough hands, but you certainly can't run a farm if the only thing you have is hands, either."
Jacta wrinkled her nose at the thought of having to make lye from scratch. It wasn't that she wouldn't do it if it needed done, but she didn't think it was fair to provide the semblance of luxury to the compound's inhabitants without providing the essentials. If that was the case, then this all seemed more like mockery or a cruel trick than anything else. Perhaps that's why there had been no grand greeting tonight?
That road of thought didn't lead anywhere good. Jacta shook her head. "Neither can I. There's got to be some place that stores at least the bare necessities. Why would people stock up on fish and apples and cleaning basins and leave the rest of it up to us? Unless maybe they're running on Lykos-logic," she pondered. Tabrika, the only Lykos that she'd met thus far, hadn't been a prize-winner; she'd barely been wearing any clothes at all. Maybe that kind of cleanliness wasn't on the radar for the leaders? That seemed impossible, considering all of the other thought that'd gone into the castle.
Jacta put her hands in her pockets, briefly fiddling with the key that she kept stored in one. "Are you up for more exploring, or should we put it off for tomorrow?" She used 'we' in the definitive; she assumed that Cathryn would be interested in continuing the small quest with Jacta rather than on her own!
That road of thought didn't lead anywhere good. Jacta shook her head. "Neither can I. There's got to be some place that stores at least the bare necessities. Why would people stock up on fish and apples and cleaning basins and leave the rest of it up to us? Unless maybe they're running on Lykos-logic," she pondered. Tabrika, the only Lykos that she'd met thus far, hadn't been a prize-winner; she'd barely been wearing any clothes at all. Maybe that kind of cleanliness wasn't on the radar for the leaders? That seemed impossible, considering all of the other thought that'd gone into the castle.
Jacta put her hands in her pockets, briefly fiddling with the key that she kept stored in one. "Are you up for more exploring, or should we put it off for tomorrow?" She used 'we' in the definitive; she assumed that Cathryn would be interested in continuing the small quest with Jacta rather than on her own!
Cathryn turned a last critical eye on the entirety of the room they were in. "I would appreciate tomorrow. These last few days of travel have been difficult for me," she said, realizing in a belated manner that this wasn't as likely to be the case for Jacta, who had made apparent her lifestyle followed that of the more nomadic traders. "Besides, this place will look less formidable in the light, and we can see where we're going without these mage-lights!" She shook her head, starting back toward the hall before coming to a halting pause.
"Tomorrow - if you're good with tomorrow, when do you think you'd be awake?" Cathryn knew she'd be up before sunrise - and operating on less sleep for the day - but old habits were incredibly hard to break. Besides, it was better to maintain what she was used to for at least now. A schedule shift might prove advantageous here in the Compound, but it would put her at odds with her own ingrained nature.
"Tomorrow - if you're good with tomorrow, when do you think you'd be awake?" Cathryn knew she'd be up before sunrise - and operating on less sleep for the day - but old habits were incredibly hard to break. Besides, it was better to maintain what she was used to for at least now. A schedule shift might prove advantageous here in the Compound, but it would put her at odds with her own ingrained nature.
"At this rate, probably a little after dawn, though, you know... old habits." Jacta was the same way. Farm-work wasn't the only kind that required early waking. Her caravan utilized (had utilized? She needed to stop thinking of them in the present tense, even if she found comfort with that,) sunlight by which to travel, so most work to secure the wagons and tend to horses and people was done before the sun crested the horizon. "Where are you staying? I'm upstairs, block eight."
Cathryn smiled - probably the first full smile she'd given anyone since leaving her parent's farmstead - at Jacta's answer. "Downstairs, block 13." She gave a pragmatic shrug. After all, it had been where she'd unintentionally gotten directed, and the lack of windows and cooler temperatures weren't particular hardships. Cathryn hadn't reached the conclusion that the downstairs rooms were home to a larger percentage of the non-human occupants of the Compound - nor would it particularly bother her, unless she was presented with a reason for it to. "A bit dusty and cool, but it'll be home soon enough."
"Block thirteen. Got it." Jacta wasn't aware of the species discrepancy either. She'd simply gone with the flow, and in the crowd that she had been with, most had chosen to go up! Besides, with the way that this huge building was laid out, she didn't really like the thought of going below ground. She didn't like the thought that there was only one way out (as far as she knew, unless there were secret corridors that had not been found yet!) and if there were some kind of fire or other trouble, everybody would be on the stairs.
She had begun towards the doorway that they hadn't yet been through, testing a theory. Sure enough, behind the door she was confronted with the staircases that led up and down. "Well, see you then, Cathryn," she raised a hand in a stolid farewell, then moved for the upper stairs.
This was a good start. She liked knowing that, whatever happened, she had something planned for the next day. It put to rest some of the running around that was going on in the back of her head.
She had begun towards the doorway that they hadn't yet been through, testing a theory. Sure enough, behind the door she was confronted with the staircases that led up and down. "Well, see you then, Cathryn," she raised a hand in a stolid farewell, then moved for the upper stairs.
This was a good start. She liked knowing that, whatever happened, she had something planned for the next day. It put to rest some of the running around that was going on in the back of her head.
Cathryn filed the knowledge away, at the back of her mind. "Pleasant slumber," Cathryn called out, before taking the far longer way back around to the same set of stairs, depositing the bucket back where it belonged and picking up her soiled tunic.
Rest was a well earned, and slightly less tense, respite. Perhaps in the morning, Cathryn temporized, moving through the kitchen once more, she could even get a royally good breakfast in her belly... and the bellies of any other adventurous souls up and about when she rolled out of bed in the morning!
Rest was a well earned, and slightly less tense, respite. Perhaps in the morning, Cathryn temporized, moving through the kitchen once more, she could even get a royally good breakfast in her belly... and the bellies of any other adventurous souls up and about when she rolled out of bed in the morning!