08/22/2000

Laundry Room

The cloying smell of too much soap rises into the air on the backs of
dozens upon dozens of bubbles, which in turn are birthed from huge brass
tubs. Servants kneel beside Novices and Accepted recently punished,
scrubbing clothes from the huge pile beneath several chutes that come from
all levels of the Tower. Steam from water kept very hot makes it difficult
to breathe, and sweat seems to want to pop out of every pore from the
moment one enters, whether it actually does or not.

A large table near the window provides a spot for folding or hanging up.
Various tags are attached to dresses and such to indicate who they belong
to, so that they may be delivered to the correct room. What is pleasant
about this place, despite the many unpleasant aspects, is that it is
completely normal. War? What war? I have to get these shirts the perfect
shade of blue!


Moving towards the exit of the Laundry Room, Neelkan is acting like a
normal trainee with the boring job of carrying laundry around. He has a
rather good sides bundle in his hands, likely a good deal of clothing
inside it, and is heading out. He's trying to look inconspicious. Just
picking up laundry as a chore. That's all! Mmmhmm.

Denn'ryiel appears at that moment at the door to the laundry room, with a
gray dress folded up in her arms. A large purplish-red blotch that is
obviously not supposed to be there is on the fabric. She spots Neelkan
almost immediately and greets him with a smile. "Peace favor you, Neelkan,"
she says quietly.

Erk! Well, he should have figured he wouldn't get totally out of the
laundry room without running into someone who knows him. Neelkan pauses in
his step, and while his face twitches for a brief moment, a smile is
returned after the moment is over, "'ey, Denn." He tilts his head at the
dress and grins somemore, "Have 'n accident?"

Denn'ryiel laughs; almost a giggle but not quite. "You could say that. A
novice and I didn't really look where we were going, and we had a collision
of sorts in the dining hall. She insisted that she would clean the dress,
though, no matter how much I tried to take the fault. So I'm delivering it
here." Her head then tilts as well, although she looks at the cheek that
twitched. "What's wrong?" she asks.

"Hmm? No--nothin's wrong!" And she knows how much of a horrible liar
Neelkan can be. Guilty expression all over his face. He covers it after a
moment and looks at the dress. "Why dontcha just drop it in the stuff she
spilled 'n make the whole dress 'at color? I think ya'd look better in
color 'en 'at gray ya've taken t' wearin'."

Denn'ryiel laughs again, without meaning to. She finally does giggle at
that. "Because the dress would smell like punch, and I'd have insects
crawling all over me," she says with a smile. She opens her mouth to press
her former question, when it pauses and she glances down at the dresses.
"You don't like the gray?" she asks, earnestly. There's even a small touch
of nervousness in her voice.

"Well... not 'at I don't like a lil' gray 'r nothin'..." Neelkan says with
a shrug, shifting the rather heavy bundle in his arms a little as he stands
there. Must be a lot of stuff in there to be so thick. "It's just 'at it's
all ya seem t' wear lately. Yer 'n Aes Sedai now. Ya don't have t' wear a
'uniform' no more. But if ya want t' wear gray, 'en 'at's 'kay." He just
thinks it's kind of... well... gray. But then again he wears gray himself.
Gray and dark red.

Denn'ryiel nods her head as she listens, and blushes just slightly. "I know
I'm an Aes Sedai," she fires back defensively. "It's just... I don't know,
what colors would you rather see, I mean, what colors do you think I could
wear?"

Neelkan blinks slightly at the defensiveness, then even more at what he's
being asked, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean t'.. uh... whate'er I did, but I
dunno what ya should wear. Ya look fine in gray, 'n I dunno what colors
would go better with ya. I just..." He stumbles over words for a moment,
then looks a little flustered. "Ya know, f'rget I said anythin'... Nothin's
wrong with what yer wearin'."

That just makes Denn'ryiel look even more frustrated. The trainee hates her
dresses, but doesn't care at all about seeing her walking in the horrid
things. It's almost enough to set her teeth grinding, but not quite.
Perhaps a subject change would be best. "Very well then... Maybe you can
tell me why you looked like you were caught with your hand in the jar of
honey when I entered?"

Neelkan blinks innocently, having no idea at all at how frustrated he makes
her. He feels a little flustered himself, but doesn't know how to explain
it if he tried, so he just didn't try. "Um... I just... I'm pickin' 'ese up
f'r the Gaidin is all."

Denn'ryiel nods her head, and a more somber frown appears on her face. She
never meant to confuse him, and guilt from her anger washes over her. "I'm
sorry, Neelkan, I didn't mean to press. I guess I should get out of your
way then," she says, edging away from the door so Neelkan can pass.

There's a pause and Neelkan heads towards the door then glances over at
her, biting on his lip for a moment before he says, "When 'is whole thin'
with the trial is o'er, we should talk 'bout somethin', a'right?" He
actually sounds a little bit serious, but his voice isn't 'grave' or
anything, so it doesn't sound like something bad they need to talk about
exactly. They just need to talk. And right now he has to worry about
keeping his friend for being stilled and executed...

Denn'ryiel turns back towards the door and pauses, looking at Neelkan for a
moment, before nodding her head. "I agree..." she says, biting her upper
lip slightly. "After the trial though." Her eyes go unbidden to the floor,
where a few score feet down the Mistress is imprisoned.

Nodding, Neelkan leans in a little closer and says, "'n if ya 'ear 'bout
someone losin' a few thin's in the laundry tomorrow mornin', don't be 'at
surprised." And he'll hope she won't turn him in either. He needs these
things, and he'd rather not get caught until after the trial is over. Then
he won't really care anymore. With that said, he heads out. Huge bundle of
clothes and all.