fandomhighdorms | The picnic tables in front of the dorms: Sunday afternoon

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The picnic tables in front of the dorms: Sunday afternoon

Karal had been working in his room most of the day, but it was gorgeous outside, no sign of rain, and he was getting a bit sick of being cooped up in there, so he packed up all his papers and carried them downstairs to the picnic tables.

As it happened, they also gave him a lot more space to spread out, so that's what he did, covering one table completely.

Just in case, he made sure everything was held down with rocks so it wouldn't blow away, then settled in to writing his report to send home to Karse.

[ooc: open of course. Just FYI, he's writing in Karsite, and it looks like this.]

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Inara was also out enjoying the weather, taking a stroll around the grounds and buying some fresh produce. She set her bag on the table and sat down on the bench across from Karal, smiling at him. "Hello. Can I interest you in an apple?"

He blinked at her for a moment, still stuck in what he'd been doing, then smiled. "Hello, Inara. Actually, I think an apple would be very nice."

She rummaged in her bag for a minute, then handed him a crisp-looking, shiny one. "I'm told they're grown here, which is just unbelievable. How are you?"

"Thank you." Karal accepted the apple with another smile. "And I'm well. How goes things with you?" he asked. "And why is it unbelievable that they grow apples here?"

"Things go reasonably well," she fidgeted a little, "and Shinon didn't grow its own apples--they were imported from agricultural planets, and prices were ridiculously high."

He nodded in understanding and took a careful bite of the apple. "Like in the cities," he said when he'd finished. "The farther one goes from farmland, the more expensive things grow. I cannot imagine how much more they would cost if they were brought from another planet!"

"We were allowed some fresh fruit in the training house, so we could acquire a taste for it, but it was more of a reward or treat than an everyday occurance," she explained, "but yes, the principle still holds true."

"There was often fruit at the Temple, though the best was usually gone before it came to the Novices." He smiled to show he hadn't minded and looked at her thoughtfully. "May I ask what it was like there? At the training house, I mean."

"Quiet, but not as peaceful as you'd expect. The girls were occasionally competitive in unhealthy ways," she acknowledged.

"Not unlike the Cloister, then." He rolled the apple between his hands and took another small bite, chewing it thoughtfully. "Do you miss it?"

"Occasionally, but my best friend there--Nandi--she hasn't written to me yet. I think she was jealous that I got chosen to come here and she didn't, so I'm not sure there's even anyone there to miss anymore."

"Oh," he said softly. "I'm sorry, Inara. Unfortunately, that is so often human nature." Another nibble of his apple. "But there are people here who care about you, and who would miss you if you were gone."