Getting Back Into The Swing Of Things

Participants:

Max.jpg Nenienne.jpg

Date: 17 August 2011
Location: Eastern Weyr: Lower Caverns
Synopsis: Max checks in to see if Neni has recovered enough to take a new commission.
Rating: PG
Logger: Nenienne

Set up for use as both a massive storage area and an everyday workspace, the Lower Caverns is a single, high-ceiling room that has been blocked off into several smaller 'rooms' for different work that needs to be done. This space seems to be used by crafters and non-crafters alike, general purpose business day-to-day dealings for the weyr that don't require a specially smithed room, like the laundry area. A single hallway that loops around with both exits connecting to the Lower Caverns leads to the residential section of the weyr.


It's the later part of the normal dinner hours, which means the crafter areas are somewhat quieter than usual. One of the people taking advantage of the fact is Nenienne, who appears to be just setting up. She has emptied out a small pouch with about a dozen silver rondelles set with pink stones, and has a larger pouch bulging with what are probably something(s) round. She measures a piece of sturdy-looking string from a spool, cuts it, and knots it.

It's not unusual to find the beast manager prowling about the inner warren of the Weyr at all times of the day or night though more often than not he has his big second in command at his side. This evening however, Waine is absent. The few that linger are given only a cursory glance of notice, his focus honing in on where Nenienne has chosen to situate herself.

His target acquired and the distance closed in a few lazy strides Max doesn't wait for an invitation and taking one of the chairs on the opposite side of the work table, flips it around and straddles it with arms folded over its top, simply making himself at home. "Hard back at work are you?" tone and expression warm as he watches Nenienne work.

Nenienne starts slightly, but not nearly so noticeably as she would have a few months ago. When she figures out it's Max she nods politely in his direction by way of greeting, then answers his question with, "Yes, finally. I was given this commission before I ended up hurting my arm with that runner." Even though it's just Max, she sticks to the cover story she and Kaskan had worked out. Then she admits, "It's so nice being back to working on things." As she says this she pulls a white pearl from the bulging pouch, slides it onto the string, and efficiently ties off the string so that the pearl has a knot on both sides.

A crooked smile edged with regret forms and hovers for a moment before sliding off, "Good to see you ain't lettin' it get in your way, Neni." For a time Max falls silent, stubbled chin resting on his folded arms as he watches the jewellery smith at work and then his voice breaks the quiet that had formed. "Got room for one more?" Commission that is for stringing pearls is not quite his thing.

Nenienne nods. "This will go quickly, as will the commission which was made while I was recovering." After the fifth pearl and knot, she adds one of the rondelles with its own pair of knots, then begins with the pearls again. "What kind of piece are you looking for?"

Dark brows lift slightly causing the scar that slashes across his forehead to crinkle and then a smiles appears, "Don't surprise me none, your work is some of the best I've seen." And given some of the women he's associated with, that's saying something. Its when Nenienne queries what type of piece he's looking for that Max hesitates and looks oddly enough, a little reticent about the edges. Letting out a puff of air he finally replies, "Something that'll put across the numbers one, four, three. In that order." Say what?

Nenienne suddenly becomes very engrossed in her stringing and knotting as she hears the compliment, only looking up, albeit with a puzzled expression, when he describes what he's looking for. Aloud she says, "Hmmmmm. Maybe it would help if I knew who it was for? At the moment all I can think of is something similar to the commission which comes after this one," she indicates the pearls with a nod.

The smile Max puts forth is nothing short of enigmatic however he doesn't provide explanation on the odd request. As to who it's for? He's not giving that away just yet either though there is a low chuckle that passes his lips as he tries to picture Jaya as the type to wear pearls. Yeah no, not happening. "I was thinkin' maybe somethin' simple but classy with the numbers engraved on it somewhere? A bracelet type affair." Ask him to describe a runner and he'll do so down from its change in gait to the last hair on its hide. Jewellery however, is a different matter entirely. "Cost ain't a issue," he then adds as if that might somehow make a difference in helping Nenienne put together some ideas.

Nenienne nods, musing "That could definitely work. Would the recipient be more interested in a a cuff-type, a plain chain, a chain set with stones, or perhaps a charm bracelet? The first, third, and fourth would be the easiest to engrave, but a chain pattern could incorporate those numbers, though that might be too subtle."

Max visibly perks at Nenienne's first suggestion, his mind immediately setting to the possibilities. "That cuff-type affair…could a stone be set into somethin' like that too?" He's not asking for much is he?

Nenienne nods. "Easily. A stone or a series of them. I could even do something like make a pattern of those numbers with larget gemstones for the smaller numbers and small gemstones for the long one."

A hand lifts and rubs at his jaw as Max gives that some thought and as it comes away a wide grin that flashes white teeth in the shadow of tanned skin and dark stubble appears. "Now that's what I call a jewellerysmith worth her weight in gold. Make 'em rubies," the stones she suggests using, "an' somethin' unusual for the cuff itself." Picky much?

Nenienne ponders. "If the price is truly no object, I could use platinum. It looks a lot like silver, but doesn't tarnish. Although I've always thought that rubies go better with yellow gold."

A faint frown appears and Max gives a small shake of head, "Gold's too obvious." Especially given the type of people he and Jaya run with. "This platinum," obviously not a metal he's acquainted with, "looks like silver to the untrained eye, aye?" for again, he'd rather not risk Jaya being mugged for it. On the matter of rubies perhaps not sitting well with a silver coloured background broad shoulders lift and fall, "Maybe make it sapphires then."

Nenienne nods. "Someone not trained in metallurgy would almost certainly think it's silver. A Smith might recognize it since it's whiter than silver, but even then without testing could think it was white gold." She nods at the gemstone substitition, then begins thinking aloud again, "Or, I could use three types of stone, one for each number — dark sapphire, medium topaz, and pale acquamarine, for instance."

"White gold?" Oh look that too has the man's interest. Like a kid in a candy store he is. Max however gives a nod of satisfaction to platinum being largely undetectable to the untrained eye as he unfolds himself from the chair and turns it back around the right way. "Naw, I think just the sapphires arranged like what you said just now."

A small turn of head to the side and he catches Waine's bulk coming down the passageway with a sheaf of hides in hide. "I'll get the marks to you in the morning," he says turning his attention back down to Nenienne and then a smile turns out, "Thanks, darlin'." As to who the gift is for? It likely won't be hard to figure out once it's been given and is being worn.

Nenienne nods. "And I'll do some drawings tonight for you to pick from, just so we know we're on the same page."



Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License