New Blooms, New Faces (Attn: Bella)

[Lugh]

Beron "I also got to see a bit of it when I first arrived," Isla said and Beron nodded in reply. He supposed most people spent a night or so in the city before enrolling.

“But Novices are also not able to go, so I did not see much of it after that and I've only recently attained this rank. I hope to see more of it now, but I'm honestly not sure what I'll see." She laughed softly. "What about you? When you are Ji, what would you wish to do in the city?"

Beron laughed at her reply, “I suppose it’s a bit like hitting the Kitchens for the first time. I stood in shock at all the extra choices from the fare at the barracks, although I won’t complain that Drin can grab extra when we need.”

“If my sister has her way, the first place I will go in Hama Valon is a dress shop,” Beron smiled as he chuckled, “Her first letter seemed a bit skeptical that I couldn’t go right away, but when I wrote my mother’s request the same reply she finally believed me. We get decent trade in our corner of Saldaea, but fashions change,” Beron quoted with his fingers in the air and a man’s shrug.

“Other than that, I suppose I’ll have more coin and less time to spend it in than I did at Maradon. I’ve heard of a few good inns, a few rougher ones and of course a Dice game or two although I was never super lucky. Better to find music and a dance floor I think, that will do for my first visit I’m sure.” he finished with a hint of crimson in his cheeks as he realized he had been prattling on. And about some rather dubious choices as well.

[Bella]

His earnestness made her smile, and she enjoyed listening to him. She was among the last people in the entire Tower who would judge someone, given her personal history. She liked to hear his thoughts. Even though she didn't know him, there was just something... She was no wordsmith. She didn't know what it was, but she liked it.

It was somehow refreshing, and she found herself just leaning back against her hands on the grass, blue eyes alight as he spoke of what he wanted to do in Hama Valon, and of his family, and of fashions...

"Aside from the fashion part, I think that all sounds rather good," she said with another quiet laugh, but a genuine expression. "I was never much for fashion when I was younger and once I got here, it was all Novice whites..." Except of course for that time in the infirmary, but she wasn't about to mention that. "And now this. I suppose I'll have to worry about it once I'm Aes Sedai."

If...you become Aes Sedai...

"Maybe I'll have to find an inn with music and listen more," she went on idly. "Though I'm not sure it sounds like much fun alone."

[Lugh]

Beron
Beron was glad Isla seemed to be enjoying their conversation, at least judging from the way she had relaxed and listened. He knew he could be a little bit of a magpie, which was something not many expected from Borderlanders.

"Aside from the fashion part, I think that all sounds rather good," she said with another quiet laugh. "I was never much for fashion when I was younger and once I got here, it was all Novice whites. And now this. I suppose I'll have to worry about it once I'm Aes Sedai.” Beron was surprised to hear her express little interest in fashion, with her comments on music and such he had figured she was a noble’s daughter. Guess you can’t judge at first glance he reminded himself.

"Maybe I'll have to find an inn with music and listen more," she went on idly. "Though I'm not sure it sounds like much fun alone,” Isla continued as she watched the sunny sky and the tree waving above them.

“Well let me be the first to offer a friendly arm, and a discerning ear once I am able to escort you. It would after all be the duty of any Warder trainee to keep an Accepted from mingling with the wrong sorts,” Beron said with a grin and mock seriousness.

“There’s a trick to finding a good tavern, which I learned from the best riders. A good tavern, well it should be like a pair of boots. Sturdy, worn but clean. If it’s filled with locals, then you know the food or drink is good, maybe even both. Too clean and it’s a place that never sees a dance or tumble. Every place has a song, you can usually feel it’s beat after a dance or two,” Beron smiled as he remembered some of his favourite haunts around Maradon.

“It’s settled then, once I’m Ji’val and I’ve braved the silks and lace..” Beron said with half a shudder, “we will find a good player, maybe even a gleeman. If you aren’t opposed to company, there are a couple other Drin I know that I am certain would enjoy an outing,” Beron thought suddenly of Finn and a few others he had met. The Seanchan had been an amiable enough fellow, and Beron had meant to try and run into him.

[Bella]

Isla admired his affability. Here he was, sitting and talking with a perfect stranger, and seemed as easy as the breeze. Maybe it was just on the surface, or maybe not, but either way, it was impressive to her. Even as she relaxed, she felt...shy at best, awkward at worst. Yes, she was having a conversation with him, but she felt like he was leading.

Like how easily he offered to go into the city with her. He barely knew her!

"I think..." she began thoughtfully. "...that you would be allowed in the city as a Drin if you are with me, since I am an Accepted." Rank did apparently have some privileges, although she would have to double-check that since she did not want to get him into any trouble because of her misunderstanding.

"It is very kind of you to offer to go with me, though," she added after a moment.

[Lugh]

Beron
Beron was enjoying himself; he had carved a little free time out of the schedule of a Drin’far’ji, the weather was nice, and he was enjoying the conversation of a striking young woman. All in all it was one of the best afternoons he had enjoyed at the Grey Tower.

As a soldier he had learned to get along with the other men in the barracks, and as a scout he had often stayed with families that lived near troubled areas. That had required a friendly demeanour as well, although he had learned to be careful around unwed Saldaean farmgirls.

"I think..." she began thoughtfully, and Beron stopped his friendly chatter to give her a moment to speak, "...that you would be allowed in the city as a Drin if you are with me, since I am an Accepted. It is very kind of you to offer to go with me, though," she added after a moment.

“The thanks is mine Isla. If you did wish a companion for a trip to the city I would be grateful for the chance to enjoy the company,” Beron said, surprise in his voice at her sudden realization. Beron was going to say be appreciated the offer even more in light of the prohibition between male and female trainees getting too familiar. Still he reasoned, there was no sense in turning down such a chance. “It would also save me from a flood of letters as the season of fairs and markets begins if I can have dresses in my sisters hands by then,” Beron chuckled as he imagined his sister preening in front of the other vendor’s daughters.

[Bella]

Isla smiled, for a moment, without inhibition. She wasn't sure why she was so pleased that he had accepted her idea, and the invitation implicit within it, but she was. There was just a trace of excitement to the idea, but she really didn't comprehend the why of that...nor was she that interested in trying to figure it out.

"I will...check," she said. "That is, I will make sure my assumption is true. I don't want you to catch any trouble because of me."

She paused for a moment, listening, before he went on. "Sisters?" she repeated. Had he mentioned sisters before? She wasn't sure. This morning seemed to be full of surprises, and she was struggling a little to keep track of it all. "How many siblings do you have?" The idea was an interesting one for her, since she had none.

None by blood, at least. And no more of those she had considered brothers.

[Lugh]

Beron
Beron was glad when Isla seemed happy he had taken her up on the invitation. There was a pleasant warmth to her smile, and Beron found himself hoping she enjoyed the outing when the managed to go.

"I will...check," she said. "That is, I will make sure my assumption is true. I don't want you to catch any trouble because of me."

“Thank you Isla, that would be a bit of a rain cloud to find out we had broken one of the rules. No need to earn extra floor cleaning,” Beron chuckled, the scrubbing of tiles being among his least favourite chores.

She paused for a moment, listening, before asking, "How many siblings do you have?"

“I have three siblings. Two older brothers, and a sister who is near to me in age. The two of us are the only ones yet to marry, my eldest brother is many years older; so his wife and son live on the farm. My other brother was just married,” Beron smiled and with his finger sketched out a rough layout of the buildings in the grass, “All told with family and cousins who live nearby there were a lot of us there. It works best to keep everyone close on the Borderlands. I think that’s why I like to climb so much, the only place to find space was by going up!”

“What about you? Do you have any siblings or relatives waiting for news of your success. With the shawl eventually I mean?” Beron asked as he idly twisted the grass through his fingers.

[Bella]

His question drew the clouds back over her face, although she tried to force them away with a smile, but this one was fairly obviously less sincere in its joy. With her question, she should have anticipated that he would ask a similar one, but somehow, it just hadn't really occurred to her and now she resisted going down dark lanes in her mind.

"No," she said with a small shake of her head. "My mother died almost immediately after I was born, and I was her first and only child. My father never remarried, so it was just he and I. Shortly before I came here, we...had a falling out, you might say, and I have not spoken to him since."

There was the letter she had sent to him, but that did not count as "speaking to" someone, in her mind.

After that, she shrugged a little. "These things happen," she said, trying to avoid sounding like she was pitying herself. "Family is lovely, I'm sure, but in this case, it's for the best. I have a life that I'm building here, on my own, and that's okay."

[Lugh]

Beron
"No," she said with a small shake of her head. "My mother died almost immediately after I was born, and I was her first and only child. My father never remarried, so it was just he and I. Shortly before I came here, we...had a falling out, you might say, and I have not spoken to him since.".

After that, she shrugged a little. "These things happen," she said, trying to avoid sounding like she was pitying herself. "Family is lovely, I'm sure, but in this case, it's for the best. I have a life that I'm building here, on my own, and that's okay."

Well if I didn’t just truly try and milk the bloody ram, Beron cursed to himself when her reply let him know his offhand question had clearly touched a nerve. He had known there would be a vast array of stories as to why people ended up at the Grey Tower, he just hadn’t thought of that before asking.

“I definitely know what you mean Isla, nothing here has been quite what I expected when I first arrive. And from everything I’ve seen, the Grey Tower is a world unto itself. I suppose it comes from the demands here, I couldn’t imagine going back to quietly picking ice peppers now,” Beron suggested with a shrug. Feeling the cloud his question had brought hang in the air, he was struck with an idea.

Standing, he brushed the grass off his pants and shirt, and extended his hand to help Isla rise. “I haven’t had the chance to explore much beyond this little nook where I was playing. Is there a spot in the Garden you like best? We could walk if the chance to stretch our legs sounds nice to you Isla?”

[Bella]

"Certainly," she said easily, trying to clear her mind of the shade that it had fallen into.

She took his hand with a smile moving closer to her earlier genuine warmth, getting to her feet and brushing herself off before lifting his jacket, dusting that off, and handing it to him with a quiet 'thank you.' With that, she glanced around the spot they were in and oriented herself to the layout of the gardens.

"I have many favorite spots, I'll admit," she said with a laugh. "This is my favorite place in the Tower. We could go to the lake. Sometimes, the fish in it swim all the way to the water's edge. People sometimes feed them, and they look for food. Some of the birds here are like that too. I bet if you stood long enough with your hand out, one might just land!"