garregmach | (no subject)

(no subject)

[ It's been a few days since the first arrivals trickled in to this iteration of the monastery, and there's been some improvement to the area, at least.

Which is fortunate, really, because the clouds have finally decided to open up and let out a torrential downpour.

The grass out in the courtyard almost immediately becomes saturated with water, squishing beneath people's feet as they step through it. Drainage in the monastery is a real problem in some parts, particularly near the marketplace area. Slowly, as time passes, pools begin to form, though some of the remaining debris serves as a decent buffer between the water and whatever crates merchants may have left behind. It may be a good idea to salvage some of that, though it's not likely to be ruined thanks to said debris. In general, it's likely a rude awakening for any new arrivals.

Of course, some would say that rainy days are the best when it comes to fishing; some would even say they're right, given how the fish seem to be out in droves at the lake. If one didn't mind potentially getting soaked, they could bring in a real haul during this rainstorm. The dining hall is not nearly as well stocked as it had been in its heyday, so this could potentially be beneficial for the community.

For some, it's likely best to stay inside and find shelter from the rain. Thankfully, most of the monastery roofing seems to be intact, save for a few sizeable holes in the cathedral. Still, that doesn't mean there isn't a leak here and there, so watch your step, particularly in the dining hall and the second floor of the dormitories as well. It might not be a bad idea to put a few buckets out to catch all that water . . . ]

[[ MORE HOUSEKEEPING, hey what's up guys:

please PM this journal if there are more setting changes you'd like to be noted! i.e. if your character did some sprucing up in the greenhouse, just let me know and I will update the setting page accordingly.
as noted on the "mod" plurk, I'll try putting up open posts roughly once a week going forward. it'll depend on how things are going, no big. ]]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I see.

[Yes, she is drenched head to toe, isn't she? And she must really be feeling it to overcome her apprehension and approach the fire...

Dimitri turns and walks to the door frame, where he reaches behind his head and unties his eyepatch so that he can use it to cover his good eye instead.]

There. At the very least, you can thoroughly wring your clothes out. I will not peek, and anyone that wants to come in here would have to pass me.

Oh—

[She wants to tell him he doesn't have to do that, but . he's too quick, and she's literally trembling . from the chill. She has to do something, so after a long moment of hesitation she scurries over to her quilt. She peels off her clothes, squeezes them out over a bucket, and lays them out before tightly swaddling herself in the comforter.

She does not look at the fire for more than five seconds at a time. Luckily, she can't hear it over the sound of her own heartbeat.]

...I-I'm done. You can turn around. And—you don't have to wear that shirt, either. You'll catch a cold.

[Though he doesn't hesitate to turn and shift his eyepatch to the right eye again, Dimitri does seem a little uncertain about taking off his top. There are some situations in which he prefers people not to be quite so open, and having someone ask about his scars is one of them. But he has no desire to fall ill (even though it's rare for him), so he removes and hangs his shirt again, standing near the fire to allow the pants he's wearing to continue to dry.]

Such heavy rain certainly makes you appreciate having a spare change of clothing, [he murmurs, casting his gaze back toward the wall.]

I've been trying to sort of... make my own measuring tape. The next time we find some decent cloth I-I was thinking of maybe... making some new clothes for us. Do you think people would be okay with that?

[She fidgets under her covers, feet peeking out as the heat gradually seeps into her bones.]

I think people would be more than okay with that. We do not need to be fashionable, but having something to wear while laundering our clothes would be much appreciated.

[He utters a short laugh.]

Today is the first time I washed my clothing since I arrived here. Thanks to the rain, I was able to finish the task while wearing everything.

Yeah... same here.

[She heaves a little sigh.]

I was out there earlier filling barrels, hanging some of the quilts that got wet... I started thinking about medicine and almost ran right to the greenhouse. There's so much to do, it feels like.

Truly, there is. I do not mind it, though. It is gratifying, visibly improving things with your own hands.

[Most importantly, if he works himself hard all day, then he can sleep at night without getting caught up in unpleasant thoughts. Dimitri folds his arms across his chest, briefly glancing Bernadetta's way.]

Are you familiar with plants?

Yes! I've always loved plants. They don't yell at you, or hit you... they just sit there and quietly get everything they need. And they're cute too.

[Bernadetta... Bernadetta why do you say these things to people...

Obliviously, she smiles up at him, small but sincere.]

I spent a lot of time in the greenhouse, when I wasn't in my room. It's a little sad to see it broken in places, but a lot of the plants are still doing fine.

[Suffice to say, Dimitri won't be shedding any tears if Count Varley ends up getting killed if they have to march on Enbarr. He keeps his expression neutral, even if inwardly he's disgusted. He takes a moment to respond, wanting to be sure he doesn't sound angry, either — it would probably spook her, and if she went running while only wearing that quilt, it could end up in a humiliating situation.]

They are. I took a look with a friend — Ashe, if you ever saw him in the greenhouse. He's fond of plants, as well.

Ashe... um, I've heard the name, probably, but I can't really put it to a face...

[That goes for a lot of people, honestly.]

Oh, but, I think I bumped into Dedue there once? Uh, but I... well, I'm sure you can guess how that probably ended.

I can. If you run into him here, though, I hope you will give him a chance. He looks intimidating, but he is a gentle man at heart. Much of his free time at the academy was spent tending plants — he's also quite the cook.

[Or so Dimitri hears. Dedue's cooking smells wonderful, but he can't taste any of it, no matter how much he might want to fulfill Dedue's wish of seeing Dimitri truly enjoying his food.]

...I like cooking too. I-I get kind of nervous when I have an audience, though.

[She fidgets again.]

I like cake, a lot. Do you have a favorite food?

I do not have much of an appetite...

[Dimitri trails off. Bernadetta is a sensitive girl — would she take it poorly if he ever eats her cooking and can't sincerely compliment it? It wasn't a problem with Flayn so he kept his problems to himself initially, but it might be best to be forthcoming, here.

Goddess knows she's been forthcoming. A little too much, even.]

...to tell the truth, I have lost my sense of taste. I can no longer taste anything.

Oh! That’s... not something I realized could happen.

[There’s the frank and candid response he seems so fond of. She takes a moment to dwell on that unexpected admission, quiet as a churchmouse.]

...but... that doesn’t mean you can’t have a favorite food, right? Even if there’s no taste, the texture is still there! You can still, uh, enjoy that part, I think.

[...probably. She’s never been in his situation, but she’s trying to be optimistic.]

[It's always nice to be understood without feeling pitied. Dimitri smiles to himself, nodding.]

You are not wrong. I do still have a fondness for cheese for exactly that reason. I like certain smells, too, especially chamomile tea. I also enjoy a warm drink to fight off the chill, or a cool drink if I'm feeling overheated — nothing too cold, though. Eating something frozen gives me a headache.

[Or rather, it makes his already present headache worse.]

I have no special fondness for cake itself, but I do like buttercream frosting. Oh, and cheesecake, of course.

Well, you're in luck, then. If anything survived all this, I'd bet some cheese did. If some rice did too, that would be even better... A cheesy gratin sounds really good right about now, don't you think?

[Bernadetta, stop, you'll make the man hungry.]

Oh! My... my uncle once taught me a trick, for pain from eating cold foods. If you press your tongue to the roof of your mouth, it makes them go away a lot faster. ...I had some bad days where I could eat an entire bowl of buttercream frosting, all on my own, so I totally understand!

[Indeed, Dimitri is now realizing that he neglected to eat yet today. He grimaces briefly at the thought of having to get wet again just to get dinner. No, he'll pass on dinner tonight. He can go a day or so, it'll be fine.

Even if gratin does sound good. Best to not talk about it or his stomach will get to growling.]

Really? That does sound useful. Being able to cool off from the inside out would make summer more bearable...

[She catches that grimace and nearly begs for forgiveness on reflex alone, before he starts talking again.]

...um, yeah. Do sour things make your tongue sore? Lemonade is pretty good on a hot day, in my opinion.

I don't believe so. I have not noticed as much, at any rate.

[Dimitri pats the back of his pants — finally they're dry enough for him to sit down. He settles into one of the chairs, glad to not have to stand so close to the flames. He was getting too hot, honestly. He looks to Bernadetta again once he's made himself comfortable, noting that she seems slightly anxious. He'll never connect it to his frowning...]

Many people seem to enjoy citrus when it's hot. The scent is refreshing.

Edited 2019-09-30 00:02 (UTC)

Oh, that's true. Sometimes when I make little perfume sachets, I'll add in some lemon or orange rind.

[It gives a nice, clean scent.]

I'll have to poke around the greenhouse and see what's growing. All the old cycles are out of sync, so we might get a nice surprise.

There were a lot of weeds, but there were useful plants as well. We saw echinacea and angelica.

[As well as a few other plants, but those were the first two and thus are the ones that he thinks of first. Dimitri leans on the arm of the chair, chuckling to himself.]

It sounds as if you have quite a few handy talents. Food and medicine should be prioritized, of course, but while the baths are in disrepair, I am sure perfume sachets would be appreciated by many.

There are a few small willows around the far side of the lake, or... well, there used to be. If they’re still there, we should try and harvest some bark for a tea. It’s good for... um, headaches. And back pain, and a few other things.

[Oh! He’s laughing.

He... looks more like a man who’s supposed to be younger than her, when he does that. She finds herself smiling back without thinking twice.]

Oh, I—th-they’re just... hobbies. When you’re a recluse, you make your own fun. ...a lot of the time literally, in my case.

[Now that she mentions it, willow bark is used for medicine, isn't it? How fortunate they are to be trapped in a place that's had both the years and the funds to cultivate such useful plants. Not that any of it should be wasted on something like Dimitri's headache, that would be pointless. And... though he doesn't enjoy it when it becomes severe, the steady, dull ache is grounding, in a way. If it were to leave him, he would almost feel lonely, he thinks.]

I know what you mean. Well, not about the "fun", but I learned many things while I was on my own. Time is in abundance when you are alone.

["We were always with you", he can almost hear his father say. Dimitri pushes the voice aside.]

I hope that you will continue to share those skills with us.

Then you need to learn some fun things. Being alone is horrible before you learn to like it, trust me, I know!

[Bernadetta you are going to get yourself kidnapped to Faerghus at this rate..]

Sewing may take a little while to get the hang of, since we don't have many materials to spare, but... I'm sure we could find something that would be a nice hobby. Let's see... there's music, or art? Maybe writing stories... Cooking's a bit difficult, given the taste issue...

[Her concern for his ability to have fun is... sweet. Not only that, but that she's clearly not thinking of the fact that he's not going to have much alone time now that he's taken the throne charms him. Truly, Dimitri is a simple creature.]

While I am not certain it counts as being "alone", I do enjoy equestrianism. Horses are lovely creatures. They do not judge, and so long as you treat them with kindness and consideration, they are kind in return.

[It really is a shame that he's more effective on the ground than up on a horse in combat, but he would rather be on foot than risk having an animal get injured for his sake.]