The Vault
No more than a hideaway amidst the gothic grandeur of the StarHall, this cozy lounge is a place of laughter if not greatness, warmth if not splendour. The close stone walls are insulated with tapestries of all shapes and sizes, most a little worn, several faded and a good many depicting scenes from childhood stories. The mismatched chairs and sofas are in a similar state, rescued from cellars and rubbish-heaps but perhaps more softer and more comfortable for that, scattered in a rouch circle on a hardwood floor. A low round table in the centre of the room holds cards, discarded hides, mugs, and a pot that holds klah as long as someone remembers to fill it. The one window at the back wall lets light and air into the warm, cozy room.
Scattered troughout the rooms are numerous glowbaskets. Thin hides, that would be transparant if they weren't coloured in light shades of red green and blue cast a colourfull and happy athmostphere troughout the room. Small bells and sticks, hung near the window, create soft, eerie yet comfortablly soft sounds,

Kaltia walks in from the Female Apprentice Quarters.

Kaltia walks out of the dorms quietly, sleepily looking around here. Spotting Cress, she blinks a few times, ready to dash back into her cot, but deciding that she's not going to let a mere /boy/ scare her off, she plops down in her chair, only to curl up in a little ball and hide her face in the chair back. Nope, not even a hello.

Cress winches as he sees Kaltia come out of the dorm. What to say? If to say anything at all? Thank Faranth, he has his firelizards to occupy him. Dixie is sprawled in his lap as he rubs his oil into the brown's belly-skin.

Kaltia lifts her head up, just a bit, to steal a glance at Cress. He doesn't even seem upset...but that doesn't mean she is. And all her, distractions, are off somewhere, like they always are when you want them around. Humph.

Cress tries to think of something to say, but comes up short. Instead he directs his attention fully to the firelizard. Dixie's tail gets a good rubdown, and then his neck. A quick glance is thrown to Katia, but is just as quickly returned to the brown. "There, almost done," he says to Dixie.

Cress
Standing at only 5'5 this young man's size is not impressive. His blond hair is bleached by the Istan sun, which has also darkened his skin to a bronze color. Narrow gray eyes are framed by light-colored lashes and brows, and his cheekbones are angular as is his chin. His muscles are hardened, from long hours of hard work, done in his previous life as a trader. A scar runs along the right side of his neck and his most obvious feature is a missing inch of his right little finger.
A brand new midnightblue shirt with draw-strings at the V-neck is worn loosely over charcoal-colored trouser, which are hardly new by the look of them. Having been patched in several places these trousers look as if they've been handed down for generations. A shine on his black wherhide boots doesn't hide the fact that these are also hand-downs from someone who's grown out of them. Perched on Cress's shoulder is Dixie. Cress' Pack hangs heavily from Cress's shoulder. Perched on Cress's shoulder is Idoru.
Red and silver in a double cord and single loop appoints him as apprentice to the Star Craft.
Cress is 18 Turns, 9 months, and 21 days old.

Kaltia whines a bit, turning herself in the chair to prop her chin up on the armrest, staring at Cress with examining eyes, which are quickly turned to the firelizards gathered in the room if she feels he might turn around to look at her, but which all too quickly return to him once the danger is past.

Kaltia
Her pale green eyes glimmer, and appear yellow in a certain light. Their unusual color makes it seem that she could look right into minds if she wanted to. They are framed by long, dark lashes, which make them stick out even more. Her small, high-bridged nose is unblemished by freckles or scars. Her mouth is pulled back into a smile, revealing straight, white teeth. Her hair pale hair has been cut short to make it more manageable. Although it has been bleached blonde by the sun, her pale skin shows no change to either a burn or a tan. Her tall, lean body is strong from years of swimming in oceans waters. Small scars cover her legs and arms; some are very old, while others appear newer.
She is wearing a short weyrhide skirt that barely reaches her knees. It is dyed a deep green and appears to be well worn. Hold it up, is a leather belt with a 'phin as the buckle. A lighter green sleeveless tunic clods her, showing off her lean arms. Heavy brown weyrhide boots cover most of her calves and provide protection from the many dangers one can encounter while traveling over the countryside. Kaltia's Backpack hangs heavily from Kaltia's shoulder.
Kaltia is wearing a delicate chain made of gold. Dangling from the chain is a lead crystal pendant that captures the rays of light and displays them again in a different range of beauty. Kaltia is wearing a small 14k gold ring with a band of merry dolphins swimming along its surface.
Kaltia wears the knot of a StarCraft Senior Apprentice.
Kaltia is 19 Turns, 1 month, and 7 days old.

Cress sighs, biting his lower lip in a nervous movement. What to do, what to do? He'd been lying awake most of the night, not knowing what to do about the situation. Girls! The only girls he'd been close to in the caravan were his cousins, and the ones in Holds the came by.

Kaltia sighs, slowly slipping out of the chair to move across the room, setting herself down on the floor near Cress's chair, where she just sits there, looking up at him silently. Nope, she's not going to be the one to say anything first.

Cress feels, rather than sees the movement as Kaltia comes closer. He'd probably have to say something soon. But instead, he picks green Idoru off his shoulder and starts her oiling. Pouring a bit of sweetsmelling oil into his hand, he then rubs it into the green's back and sides.

Kaltia sighs a bit, flipping over onto her stomach to stretch out, propping her head up sleepily on her arms, just to watch him. Fighting the desire to poke or wap, or anything, him she just sits there quietly, watching a point about a foot about his head.

Cress can feel those eyes watching him, and looks up. Only to get caught in her gaze. He smiles sheepishly, and his hands stop the process of oiling the green. "Err, listen Kal...." He starts, but can't get any further. He's not had much experience with girls and has no idea how to handle this situation.

Kaltia smiles back a bit, not really, just trying to stay calm. Nodding her head slowly, she sighs a bit, never taking her eyes off of Cress. "I'm listening..." She answers quietly, yellow-green eyes flashing.

"Well.." Cress starts, looking back down at 'Doru. "It just sorta happened.... And, and.." And he had no idea she'd been /that/ interested. "I'm sorry," he finally says, his face turned a shade more red.

Kaltia drops her head to the floor, nodding a bit before looking back up at him. "What happened?" She hopes she's not prying too much, but she's curious. She's always curious.

Nothing much, except he - maybe - fell in love with Lin. But he's not about to say that outloud. "Well.. Lin and I just spent so much time together.." And that's all she gonna get, so he sets he face in refusing features.

Kaltia nods slowly, kinda getting an idea of what he means. So she's lost him. Head hitting the ground again, she refuses to show Cress her feelings. She doesn't need him anyway...no, not at all, yet then, why is her mind screaming? Covering her ears, she tries to shut out the noise, only its from inside her head, and she just lies there.

Linora walks softly in from the Main Hall Balcony.

Linora drags in looking sleepy. Up all night? Seems so...

Cress looks confused. He eyes darting here and there, to finally find rest on the green lizard in his lap. He really didn't know. Honest, he didn't. His eyes on the green he doesn't hear Linora come in.

Kaltia just lies there on the floor, unable to look up, too much would be given away in her eyes. She would be betrayed by them again. Breathing slowly, she covers her head up with her arms, shutting out any light from the room around her.

Her mind firmly on her comfortable cot, Linora doesn't notice Kaltia until she nearly trips over her. She stops short, looking at the girl with a perplexed expression, then looks around the room and spots Cress. She starts to say hello, but something seems... not quite right. She swallows and just looks at him, waiting for him to look up. He's gotta look up, right?

And he does. He's finally heard the footsteps and as Cress sees Linora standing there his jaw drops, his eyes firmly locked on the girl. What to do now? His first instinct is to run, but his body seems frozen to the chair, and he just sits there staring.

Kaltia uncovers her head to peek out as she feels someone approaching, noticing its Linora, she stares daggers at the girl. If looks could kill, Lin would probably be dead a thousand times. Shaking her head she goes back to her silent moping on the floor, head once again hidden beneath her arms.

Linora really begins to wish she'd come home later... or earlier. She stands still a moment, caught between Kaltia's obvious venom and Cress's equally obvious ambivalence. After a seemingly interminable pause, she swallows again. "Should I go?" Not much more than a strangled whisper, her expression bewildered... and not looking really at either one of them.

Cress shakes his head. Just a fraction. He's not in the mood to be left here alone with Kaltia, in the mood she's in. Of course, he could just leave himself, but that would be downright rude. Wouldn't it?

Kaltia doesn't care if Lin stays or goes. Its Cress's decision, isn't it? After all, she's not really here... she's never here. Nothing matters to her anymore. /Nothing/. But yet, she still doesn't move from her spot on the floor near the base of Cress's chair.

Linora looks from one to the other, clueless. Why doesn't anyone say anything? Why didn't Cress say anything? She seeks out his eyes, but finds no help there, for once unable to read him... and drops her gaze to the floor. Without a word, she disappears into the dorm.

Kaltia sighs as she hears footsteps moving softly away. And since they aren't from her head, she guesses its Lin... leaving. But now what? What is she suppose to say? Is she suppose to say something?

Cress swallows hard as Linora makes her exit. Now what? He still feels like running, but might as well be glued to the chair for all his legs were worth. He finally gathers himself enough to look down at Kaltia, "are you allright, Kal," he whisper in a hoarse voice.

Kaltia lifts her head off the ground a bit to look up at Cress, face a bit red and eyes a bit puffy. Slowly shaking her head, she lets it fall back to the ground with a soft 'no'.

No? Not the answer Cress had expected. He squirms a bit in his chair, upsetting the two lizards currently with him. "Err... I-I-I," he stutters, "I'm really sorry, Kal..." But then you weren't supposed to have relationship while you were an apprentice. But it would probably not help to say so.

Kaltia pulls herself up off the floor, shaking her head. "Its not your fault, its mine." Of course its hers, everything is her fault. Remembering Lin had headed towards the dorms, she heads the opposite way, out to the Archives, without a word of why, just a quick 'bye' as she slips out the door.