A Feast for All (Open to Syms)

[Devero]

Timestamp: Winter 85, 511 AV Time: Evening Location: The Gathering Hall Who: Any Symenestra Devero was whistling while looking around the Gathering Hall. It was time to begin getting it ready for the Do-Vedenza Kina, one of his most favorite festivals. His wife Navara would be helping to prepare the decorations, and she put him in charge of setting up the tables and chairs. Surprisingly, he was the only one in the Hall right now, but knew more would show up soon to help. All of the tables and chairs were stacked up in a corner of the hall. Devero made his way over to the large stack of wooden furniture. They had been stacked extremely high. And Devero knew that they had to have used a lifting system. After all, their kind weren't particularly strong. He looked up above the stack and saw three stone arms jutting out from the wall. He smiled, knowing he was right. He quickly ran back to his family's shop and grabbed a long length of low grade fabric. He returned and wrapped it around his shoulder. He then began to climb up the side of the wall by the tables, until he'd reached the topmost, a dark redbrown wood. He quickly wrapped the fabric around the center of the table. He laid an end over end, then tucked the bottom up, over and around. He repeated this a couple of times until he was satisfied with the simple knot. He then began to climb up the wall toward the stone arms. Once there, he threw the fabric over the topmost arm, threaded it beneath the lowest arm, and then over the final arm. Devero then grasped tightly onto the fabric like an aerial dance would, and allowed the fall to pull him down. His weight pulled the table from the stack, and it was lifted up and to the side. There it swung like a pendulum. Once it stopped, Devero began slowly easing the table to the ground. He repeated this long process with each piece of furniture until they were all on the ground level. He was thankful for the smooth bottoms to the legs, because it made it easier for him to push the tables into place. He set the tables into a horseshoe shape, like a square missing a side. He then put the most comfortable chairs on the inside seating, for that would be where the departing Harvesters would sit. He put the rest of the chairs on the outside for the visiting family members. Navara and several other women appeared with several armfuls of silken decorations and tapestries to be hung from the ceiling. She walked over to her husband and pressed her soft lips against his. "Great job dear. It looks like you have some help now." Devero turned and looked at the other entrance of the hall, to see who was coming in.

[Adavi Brevissima]

Adavi had wandered into the hall during the first of Devero's acrobatic displays. The boy stopped, curious as to what his elder was doing and then, after a moment of personal debate, had proceeded to watch him from an unnoticed nook of the room. Adavi couldn't help but be entertained by the man's antics, as there were surly other more conventional ways to retrieve the tables, but he liked how the older man went about his task. It was creative, personal, and carefree. He didn't move as if worried of who might be watching, but did things as he saw fit, and in a manner that entertained him. Adavi had to smile, maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all, maybe it could even be fun.

The young man made his way forward as a group of women appeared out of one of the many arched hallways. Adavi had wondered if he should wear anything special for today, something that best exemplify his change from child to adulthood. He'd gone around the shops, his sister dragging him from one store to another oohing and ahhing at the fine brightly painted silks. He'd gone and bought a suit of Symenestra armor, and back at home, when trying it on felt the glow of excitement for one's destiny.

He was about to start upon the most dangerous adventurer of his life. The realization both thrilled and terrified him. He didn't know if he could succeed, or even if he'd ever see Kalinor again, but the thought of reaching forward, of feeling the sun on his face and immersing himself within the outside world...it was liberating, a promise he hadn't even known he'd been craving.

In the end Adavi had settled upon his usual attire, switching out the black swath around his middle for a red one and removing his earrings. Now was not a time to risk making a fool of himself. He would come, with nothing flashy, just as people had come to expect of him, and then he would leave, and none would be left wondering if maybe he'd been trying to hid something.

Adavi smiled comfortably as he strolled over to the other Symenestra.

"Adavi Brevissima." He said bowing in introduction.