You head through the entrance into the dining Hall.

Smith Dining Hall
As you step into this large room, rows upon rows of tables first greet you. The scars and spots in the wood and the benches distinguish them as apprentice benches, victims to younsters' curiosity about their first blades. Farther into the hall are groups of round tables with chairs, journeymen tables it would seem and finally across the top of the room sits one long table. The master's table is on a slightly raised dais, no doubt to allow the masters to keep a better eye on the apprentices during the meal. A swinging door near the apprentice tables gives a glimpse into the bustling kitchen. A large metal door to the west leads out to the main meadow.
Obvious exits:
Kitchens Main Meadow

Loren comes out from the kitchen, leaving the doors swinging.
Loren has arrived.

Loren ambles in, pausing to relay something to one of the kitchen workers before closing the door. He takes a look about the hall, noting who's present and smiles briefly at a few faces. He walks past the journeyman's tables pausing to say hello to friends. ... including Annik. "Hello. Good to see you." he greets.

Annik is sitting at her usual place, chatting with the usual people. She looks up and smiles. "Hi, Loren."

Random murmerings, snatches of incomplete sentences and the occasional laugh fill the normally silent hall. Just another dinner for the smiths.

Loren flashes Annik a grin then takes his seat with the masters.

More people filter in, rapidly filling the apprentice benches, the journeymen's table spots. A few masters drift in, heads together, their attention and chatter deep in the details of a new procedure. A few sitting at the master's table ar giving the pair a look, one that when noticed causes the pair to hurry to their seats. Presently the new arrivals dwindle and the craftmaster nods to the waiting kitchen staff. They take the signal to start, and a steady stream of helpers come through the double doors, arms laden with bowls and platters full of the evening's meal.

Annik takes large helpings of everything; apparently her appetite has not dwindled since her apprentice days. She continues to talk to the others at her table as she eats.

Loren takes the time to murmer to the master next to him in pleasant tones, the social niceties being attended to. He takes a moment to review the hall again, eyes noting who'd sitting where.

The tables are soon busy with people serving them selves, and the chattering falls away, it's place being taken by cutlery, forks and spoons clattering as the smiths replenish their bodies after a long day of toils.

The apprentices, in the back of the room, begin giggling and chuckling mysteriously. One stern glance from Wen silences them effectively.

The meal progresses through the normal stages, the kitchen helpers replacing empty bowls and platters as needed, and finally the last portions are consumed. Now out comes the desserts, slices of sweet cake with a suace of pureed berries ladled over them, which meets with considerable approval by all.

Annik wastes no time in grabbing herself a slice of cake. Her chattering becomes less frequent as she concentrates on her dessert.

Loren takes his time with the dessert, savoring every morsel for such sweets are going to become rare as winter progresses.

The desserts finished by all, the tables are cleared by the kitchen staff. Expectant eyes look towards the masters tables as the day's announcements are awaited. Soon the craftmaster gives Loren a nod.

Annik looks up towards the master's table, listening quietly for the announcements.

Loren takes his que and stands, waiting for everyone's attention. When silence falls again he speaks. "We will be shifting to winter operations this sevenday. For those apprentices new to this, I'm sure your older and presumably wiser dorm mates have filled your ears with all sorts of stories." he grins as the junior apprentices look at each other. "Well, trust only what the masters and journeymen tell you." he admonishes. Then he smiles again, "Tonight we have something extra to take care of." He waits for interest to peak again. "Full apprentice Slateral, please escort apprentice Raimen to the full apprentice tables" he begins the age old tradition.

Some clapping and cheering accompanies Raimen's walk and soon he's beaming to his new tablemates as they greet him.

Annik grins as the apprentice walks the tables, applauding with the rest. As the noise dies down, she returns her attention the front.

Argothe comes out from the kitchen, leaving the doors swinging.
Argothe has arrived.

Loren continues naming apprentices, most meeting with polite approval, and a few with startled surprise. After the handfull are ensconced at the new tables, he then pauses. "Regettably, we won't be having any new journeymen at this time. However,..." he baits the crowd. "I do have one special chore I've pushed rather hard to get." Loren then leaves the master's table, walking towards the Journeymen's tables.

Annik raises an eyebrow curiously at Loren's last statement. Her gaze follows him to see where he ends up.

Argothe slips in and stands unobtrousively near the kitchen door, wearing a fierce scowl.

Loren slowly strides down the row of interested faces, finally stopping beside Annik. "Will you join us at the master's table, Master Annik?" he offers, his arm extended.

Hoots andshouts of approval fill the hall.. the stamping of feet and chants of 'Walk, Annik! Walk!" echo in the hall.

Annik looks up and stares for a moment, as if she can't quite believe her ears. After a moment, she seems to regain her composure, grinning mischievously, blue eyes sparkling. "It's about time." She takes the extended arm and pulls herself up, heading for her new table.

Loren escorts Master Annik to the head table, grinning fit to burst. "Indeed." he agrees quietly.

A flurry of activity at the head table accompanies the arrival of a brand new chair, one with 'Master Annik' carved into the backrest. The hall stewards place this next to Master Argothe.

Annik ooohs softly as she sees the chair. Her fingers brush against the carving before she sits down, stilling grinning. "Thank you."

Argothe strides over to the Masters tablee and his chair, his scowl still on his face as he nears Annik it melts off and turns into a broad grin, "Congradulations Master Annik, you've earned it.", he says in a happy, sincere tone.

Annik's smile widens somehow, her expression seeming to get even brighter as she nods at Argothe. "Thanks. It's so nice to be able to sit with you guys again," she says, including Loren as well.

Loren smiles to Master Annik as she takes her place. He nods to the kitchen steward who comes forwards with a wineskin and glasses, very special etched glasses with the smith hall emblem, a ruby red Anvil, dyed into the surface. After the masters up and down the table fill their glasses, each waits for the craftmaster to lead the toast.

Argothe smiles, "Well about all I know is Annik is very deserving of her new rank and the masters didn't hardly have to consider it at all.", he pauses for a moment, "But Master Loren knows her better than I as they are usually working together on some ardous task, given them by me of course. So we'll let Loren say a few words.", he says nodding towards Loren.

Annik sits quietly, basking in the glory of mastership.

Loren smiles, giving Argothe a nod. "Thank you, Master Argothe." He turns to Annik and raises his glass. "To our newest Metalsmith Master, may you always pound straight, pour solid and carve true." he announces to the hall and takes a sip, to the murmers of the other masters approval."

Annik beams graciously. "Thank you, everyone."

The masters all drain their glasses and begin to filter out of the hall, stopping by Annik to touch hands and welcome her to their ranks.