Anwyn gave Burl the warmest smile she could manage right now. At least SOMEONE didn't mind having her around. "Then I'll stay a few more minutes, before going off the bookstore", she said, wishing that Gwenn liked her more. Most of the time, he treated her the same way that her her brothers did back home.
"Oberon's got a wonderful nest up in the attic", she continued. "And Mestru Merrick is always interesting. HE never minds me hanging around reading things. And he's teaching me alot about how to how to respect the friendship of owls".
"It sounds as if this Mestru Merrick is a wonderful shop-keep," Burl agreed.
"Aye," Gwenn said sourly. "He's a right gud man. Verra tolerant." Gwenn stopped himself from saying more. Cerroill had always been good to him, and Gwenn didn't want to say anything that might be insulting to Cerroill. "But ye've met him. The man who writes me letters."
"Oh!" Burl exclaimed. "Him." Burl nodded. "Yes, he is a most gracious host. So you like to read books?" he asked Anwyn, offering her his arm. "Perhaps we can escort you to the shop," he suggested. Gwenn just looked even more disgruntled.
Anwyn grinned. "I like books the same way that Oberon likes meat ! "And books make for great company too. Especially in the evening. Kay says I'm not allowed to be out after dark -- and she doesn't even want me leaving the Base during the daytime either! So it's usually just me and a book, and sometimes I let Mairead come back to my room with me".
She sighed, "Except while we're working, Kay and Doc have been way too BUSY (or they CLAIM that they're too busy) to spend time with me lately ...".
She paused, as a thought suddenly occured to her that Gwenn might get the wrong idea, looked over at Gwenn and added "but NOT with EACH OTHER much either, as far as I can tell". Idly, she wondered what Gwenn thought about Kay's friendship with Louis, but decided it might be wiser NOT to annoy him by asking.
"Do your brothers or father not escort you outside when you want to...leave the base?" Burl asked. (OOC: he only knows that Anwyn seems to have latched onto Gwenn's sworn-sister and that Gwenn considers her a pest who has a penchant for causing trouble for him.)
"Are you SERIOUS ?", Anwyn chuckled, thinking that was rather a RIDICULOUS sort of question. "Even when we were on the same PLANET, they always had 'more important' things to do. And my Mum and older sisters aren't much better".
Anwyn frowned, "I guess that's why it took them so long to notice that I had ended up here instead of on Coronis. We were moving to my parents' next post. I lost sight of them at the last transfer point, but figured that I'd find them again onboard the ship. It's wasn't MY fault that some idiot can't tell the diference between a ticket that says "Coronis" and one that says "Cottman IV" and so I got the wrong directions and ended up on the wrong Ship and didn't notice until Spaceport Immigration told me that I was on the wrong planet".
"That turned out to be a problem because Terran laws say I'm not an adult yet -- even though I'm roughly 13 of YOUR years old. So here I was, alone on some planet where it would take a message at least a week or two to reach ANYONE who could get me OFF this planet again. I would have had a much worse time if I hadn't met Kay. She has VERY strong opinions about what she calls 'un-supervised minors', and she found me a job and a place to live. And she even volunteered to be my on-planet surrogate-parent when I decided that THIS was a much more interesting place and I didn't WANT to leave afterall".
"That doesn't sound very respon..." Burl stopped talking and gave an embarrassed smile. "Forgive me, damisela. It isn't seemly to speak ill of another's family. And you are old enough for fostering, I would think. But does everyone read so much where...I mean, on Terra? Why not have pictures for the planets like we have pictures for the shops here? Then there would be little confusion whether or not you can read." Burl now understood why Gwenn felt obligated to look after Anwyn. Hill-folk took those bonds seriously.
Anwyn shook her head. "THAT wouldn't be as much fun. I LIKE books and i LIKE reading. Back home, MOST people know how to read -- except for the smallest children who haven't been taught yet. So our shops either have both ictures AND words, or sometimes just words. So I still find it strange to see ONLY pictures on so many shop signs".
It then occurred to Anywyn that she couldn't see Gwenn anymore, so she turned her head to look behind her. "Are you coming, MacConnell ? Or do Oberon and I get McIvarson here all to ourselves for awhile ?", Anwyn teased, "Maybe he can come up with an idea we haven't thought of".
"Weel, I'm nae still back at the stall, now, am I?" Gwenn said grumpily. "An' _some_ of us have work ta do."
That got a soft chuckle from Anwyn.
Oberon of course was still riding on Anwyn's shoulder as she walked. It had been nice to see that smart human again. The other one had made him nervous. Too excitable, too touchy. At least he had let the other show him how to deal with feathers. He noticed that the girl's hair seemed a bit disarrayed, so he used his beak to try to groom her a bit. Unfortunately, since it was hair, and not feathers, this didn't really work as it should, and he gave up after a brief attempt.
"You're a very smart bird", Anwyn said softly to Oberon, thinking to herself that it would be wise to stop teasing Gwenn, "I just wish you could talk to me. Maybe THEN I'd know what to say". One of the worst things about being a teenager was how hard it was to get adults to take you seriously. And when you were a small female, that just made it worse.
She grinned, then added to Burl, "Though I wouldn't be surprised if it was Oberon's company that interested you more", she told him, with more than a hint of mischief, "Afterall, there are PLENTY of teenage girls around....".
Burl said, "Ah, let him mope. And while Oberon is a most interesting bird," Burl gave him a smile, "I prefer company that can talk back to me. And how many lovely Terranan girls are running around who can speak Comyn (or cahuenga if that's what Anwyn knows) as well as you?" he asked. "And I would be honored if you would call me Burl, damisela." Gwenn frowned.
Anwyn noticed the rather sour expression on Gwenn's face and decided to ignore it. "I can speak FIVE different languages, Burl", she told Burl proudly. I already knew Terran Standard, Spanish and Gaelic when I arrived here. And I've been studying Casta and Cahuenga too. Kay says that I have a talent for languages". "I am impressed," Burl replied. "Why, you know much more than my little sister, and she is older than you. But ...
"Here we are," Gwenn interrupted. Burl grimaced and bowed at the entrance to Leaves. "It was a most pleasant stroll," he said, "but I suppose I most tend to less pleasant duties now."
Anwyn giggled, and wished them both a good day. "Perchance we will see you again, damisela Anwyn," Burl said with another bow. "I'll see you this evening," Gwenn said, "and try to stay out o' trouble 'til then. Good day". Anwyn just giggled at him again.
"But it's not FAIR ! I'm NOT some small child who lacks sense enough to come in out of the rain !", Anwyn protested. She couldn't help that she was young and short and female. "As things currently stand, I'm not happy. KAY is the one who's gotten into trouble in town, not ME. Yet I'M the one who's getting punished as if it was ME who did something wrong". She sighed. Yes, she'd wanted to BELONG somewhere, but she was now starting to realize that this ALSO meant less freedom to do WHAT she pleased WHEN she pleased with WHO she pleased.
It had been a particularly-difficult week for Anwyn, so much so that she had been having trouble concentrating on her work at times. All work and no play had REALLY getting on her nerves -- which is why she'd sneaked out earlier today. "Both Mairead and Amadaine have been acting like sulky little babies lately too, so they haven't been much fun either", she pointed out, "they've been messing up Kay's apartment alot when she's not home -- and I think they've been getting lonely too". She sighed dramatically, and then added "It's no wonder Oberon hasn't been visiting us as often lately -- I don't know WHAT he thinks of all this chaos, but I doubt he approves of it. SOMETHING needs to change, and Kay seems to be at the hub of all this mess".
Then a thought suddenly occurred to her -- something that would hopefully cause Kay to worry LESS about her, AND that would address her own loneliness too". But she decided to wait and listen first to what Ceroill thought Kay needed. And THEN she'd see what he thought of her new idea.
Ceroill sipped his tea, and watched her. Listened. He shared some images and thoughts with Oberon, and received answers of a sort, along with other thoughts. He thought for a moment. "Anwyn, I want to ask you a question. Let's make it a hypothetical situation. An exercise of sorts. Imagine that Kay's odd behavior had nothing to do with 'energy fields' and such. If it was only a completely mundane situation, what would you propose to be done about it? You obviously are convinced there's a problem she's hiding. What would you do if it were up to you?"