12-12-08 - Order Promotions

RW Abbey: Great Hall

Characters involved: Sivaine, Flicktail, Carver, Harper, Lucas, Nicodemus, Tameus, Zen, Layne, Elienna, & Lark.

Sivaine is in a chair by the fireplace with a book open on her lap, but her attention is on the big bat perched on the top of the adjacent chairback.

Flicktail stos and blinks on seeing Carver "will ye LOOK at e size o at BAT! Great otters...

Carver folds his wings about himself, saving Sivaine from accidental wing-swattings for now. Considering his size, that'd probably hurt. He nods deeply again to Sivaine as she opens her book. "Good. Smallbat goodbat. Believe Carver! Not crazy. Good head." He leans over towards the book that the mouse has. "What Sivmouse read?"

Then, there's Flick entering. He shuffles about, pinging at Flicktail. "Fox! Manyfox in Abbey. Abbey...foxden?"

Harper enters the Hall. Of all things, he's carrying a mouse dibbun! Her ankle's wrapped. Heading over to the fireplace, he sets her down with a grin and a ruffle of headfur. "There. Just let me know when ya've had enough of the fire 'n' company." And he steps back, turning with paws folded inside opposite habit sleeve to survey the room.

"Sometimes it seems it. That's Flicktail," Sivaine half-smirks, and shifts the book over on her lap so Carver can look.. er, ping better. "It's a travelogue," she tells the big bat. "Stories about faraway places..?" Her sentence trails off in a rising question as Harper steps in with a small child. That isn't Tam. "..is this what you wanted me to be here for?" she asks him doubtfully.

Harper looks around at Sivaine's voice. He grins, walking over. "Nope," he answers. Aha. Ha.

That's not Tam .. this is. The leveret in question resembles a grayish popsicle as he wanders in from the breezeway, dusted over with snow like powdered sugar and shivering, his muzzle flushed across the top.

Flicktail walks up to thebig batand looks up at him "dod Oi jus feel yer voice?

Sivaine raises a brow, a wry smile tugging at the corner of her muzzle. "You've had me looking for buckets of whitewash over doors for the past half-hour," she tells him semi-accusingly.

Lucas opens the door far enough to let both himself and Layne in without having to take his arm off of her. He's quick to close it again though, don't want to let the heat out before he heads for the fire. There's arms round each other, they're being horribly cuddly, run away, fast!

Nicodemus steps in from the entry.

Nicodemus has arrived.

Carver looks down at Flicktail, half-lidded eyes studying him intently.

"Flickfox...otter? Flickfox fox!" The question of 'feeling his voice' gets a cock of his head, and confusion on his face. He then leans to Siv's book again. "Sivmouse like travel. Fun. Carver travel. Make picture. Meet beasts."

Flicktail offers a paw toCarver

It's a vicious rumor! :O Layne doesn't do cuddly. She's... um... engaging in social intimacy. Yeah, that's it. In any event, she keeps close to Lucas as they approach the fire, still too cold to take much stock in her surroundings.

"See, now you're just giving me ideas," Harper teases. He glances past Siv's shoulders, as if looking at someone. He mouths silently, 'Now!'

Nicodemus rushes in, dressed for the part of Abbot for a change.

Nicodemus says, "Merry meet everybeast."

Nicodemus pauses to catch his breath.

Tameus reaches up to ruffle his hands in his hair, shedding snow like dandruff and then heading toward Harper. The novice is tugged on before he lifts up his arms. "Up, 'Arper."

"You're a cartographer? Map-maker?" Sivaine asks Carter absently, an ear flicking his way. Then she snorts and sticks a foot out to poke Harper in the knee. "Nice try, but you wouldn't. You'd have to clean it up."

Flicktail exclaims, "oi Father, look at is HUGE Bat!"

Sivaine asks, "Mmh? Evening, Father." Blink. "What's the rush?"

Harper grins at Sivaine, then looks down, plucking Tameus up into his arms. He turns as Nicodemus enters. "Father," he greets, stepping forward.

Nicodemus looks to Sivaine. "It's not nice to keep beasts waiting ... punctuality and other such virtues.

Nicodemus looks to the bat. "Have we met before? I"m Nicodemus ... abbot of this Order."

Tameus curls his arms around Harper's neck as he's lifted. "Hi." His smile is a limit timid.

Nicodemus' ears twitch towards Zen briefly.

Lucas gives a small shiver at the sudden change from freezing cold to rather warm and he pauses by the fire, looking over Layne to see the commotion. He's lost track of time regardless. A quick smile and nod goes to the Abbot.

Zen blushes and smiles a little...

Sivaine blinks once or twice, and shuts her book. "I feel like I've missed something." /Haaaarper..?/ Oh, well. There's Tam. And there's people. Quick, distraction! "You two get stuck?" she asks Layne and Lucas, rising from her chair.

( Tameus gets a hug-squeeze. "How are you t'day, Tammy?" )

Carver nods several times at Sivaine, the fox's blank expression perking up a bit. "Carver make map! Goodmap!" The large bat leans up on top of that chair, enthusiastic despite his body language. Then, he peers to the Abbot, pinging him. "Squirrel! Carver! Nice meet. What Abbot?"

Nicodemus looks back to the squirrel. "A combination of chief cook and bottle washer."

Nicodemus moves to stand by the tapestery.

Her free paw out towards the flames, her other circled behind Lucas' back, Layne tosses a quick look at Sivaine. "Cold out there. Couple of folks could freeze to one another if they're not careful, eh?" Her glance lingers on Harper's back for a moment, then back to Siv, finding confirmation for the rumors in her placid gaze. Hm.

"'m okay," the smaller buck mutters to the older. He leans up and chomps on Harper's nose, then leans away, grinning. "I was /reaaally/ thirsty when I woke up.."

"Anytime you actually decide to wash some bottles, Abbot, drop by the scullery, 'kay?" Layne wouldn't mind the help.

Nicodemus says, "Everybeast ... Can I have your attention please? With the comings and goings, it's hard to get any time free, but this is an important time for two novices, Harper and Lucas."

Nicodemus waves the two novices forward.

Flicktail goves over to pat Lucas on the bacg gently

Tameus's ears twitch into a stuck-up position. He holds onto Harper more snugly.

Layne looks up at the novice all but attached to her hip. She pulls her arm back, looking puzzled as the abbot calls attention to him...

Harper is about to say something more to Tameus when the Abbot speaks up. He looks up and around, ears perked. He grins.

Tameus mumbles, "Are y' in trouble, 'Arper?"

Zen hides a little and watches..

Nicodemus stage-whispers to the leveret, "Oh yes, but not in the way you think..."

Lucas ear perks to the Abbot and though Flicktail gets barely a glance he aims a pat at Layne's shoulder "I'll be back in a minute" his arm removed he heads for the Abbot.

Tameus narrows his eyes curiously at Nicodemus and then grins. "'s there gonn' be cake?"

Harper chuckles, ruffling Tameus' headfur as he too comes forward with the dibbun in arm.

Nicodemus ponders that. "I thought warriors in training skipped cake."

Nicodemus looks at the two novices.

Tameus says, "Warriors in trainin' don' make cake .. but 'f there's gonn' be cake /an'way/..."

Nicodemus says, "OK, everyone. When someone becomes an apprentice, er, novice, they're an unknown. Will they make it? Will they stay the course? What will they be like?"

Layne's brain works in spinning and occasionally dexterous leaps, and when an abbot summons two novices forward-- and looks pleased about it-- she thinks she can guess what comes next. Her arms cross and a slow smirk unfolds over her muzzle.

Nicodemus motions towards Lucas and Harper, "These two are not unknowns. They are industrious, busy, and have worked very hard."

Flicktail's eye watch while his ears perk, accidentlly putting a paw on Cater's foot paw where it rests on the chair back

Harper cough-laughs at Tameus' words, then makes a silent shhing gesture. "Jus' listen," he whispers to the dibbun. His eyes are turned to the Abbot. He looks pleased.

Tameus leans in against Harper's chest while he's twisted a little to watch the abbot, ears perked up and keeping quiet.

Nicodemus looks at the beasts in the room. "So, the real difference between a novice and a brother is this: the novice is in training, but the brother takes an oath, a commitment, for the rest of their life."

Sivaine's expression goes quiet and owlish; she sets the book down on her chair and edges closer to Layne. "H'm," she murmurs quietly to the other mouse, watching with lazy half-lidded eyes and a slow smile.

Lucas tries not to look smug. The sorta grin he's trying to hold back is close to it but he's trying for something more dignified than a silly grin...it's not working, grin keeps breaking out.

Nicodemus turns to the hare first. "Harper, are you ready to take the oath and leave behind the novice's life for that of a Brother?"

Carver merely perches quietly on the chair, listening away.

Layne has taken a few oaths since her own arrival. No, wait, that's -muttered- a few oaths. But not usually where dibbuns could hear her.

Sivaine murmurs sidelong, "Lucas looks like a dibbun on his nameday." She sounds amused.

Flicktail offers carver a bit of dried peach

Layne's attention is on Lucas' grin. Well, that's warmer than the fireplace. Good for him.

Harper inclines his head. "Yes. I am."

Nicodemus says, "Then, Harper, as the final exam, please state the oath ... and I'll be happy to accept it."

Elienna arrives from the Staircase..

Elienna has arrived.

Harper nods and, like Lucas, has to struggle with a smile. He clears his throat and speaks the oath, for all to hear.

Nicodemus smiles. "It is my privilege and pleasure to accept your oath, Brother Harper."

Nicodemus turns to the mouse. "Lucas, are you ready to take the oath and join the ranks as Brother?"

Tameus looks at Harper curiously. "Why'd th' abbot call y' brother? 'e's not y'r brother.." He keeps his voice down.

Flicktail uncharacteristically just listens

Lucas nods his head once "Very much so"

Sivaine cants her head to the side and rests her paw on her hip, just watching. "Heh. Tam," she mutters.

Nicodemus smiles. "Then, too, your final exam. Please offer forth the oath."

Harper's smile breaks fully free and he beams at Nicodemus, inclining his head. "Thank you, Father Abbot." He looks down at Tam briefly, whispering. "It's like 'Novice'," he explains, "Just a higher rank." He looks across at Sivaine, then, eyes a-twinkle.

Tameus's nose twitches. "Like .. L'tenant? But in th' abbey?"

Lucas likewise recites the oath from memory. Distraction enough that he can stop grinning like an idiot for a minute or two.

Sivaine's eartips shade the slightest pink; after a brief moment of deer-in-the-headlights, she locks her gaze on Lucas. Then she looks back and sneaks a wry smile.

Nicodemus hehs. "And, Brother Lucas, it's my pleasure and privilege to accept your oath as well."

Flicktail claps HUZZAH!

Nicodemus turns to the rest of the Hall. "Let everyone remember this day for these two new brothers!"

Nicodemus turns to the two new brothers, "And of course, be sure to change ... you're woefully under-dressed now."

Harper nods, "Just exactly like that, Tammy." He grins, eyes on Lucas as he too is accepted as Brother.

Harper laughs, nodding to Nicodemus. "I will do that."

Layne's cool and composed, at least on the outside. Though her undisciplined tail flicks with restless glee. Her paws slowly mime a silent applause, but her eyes have a sheen of pride for Lucas.

Tameus smiles more broadly and reaches to hold Harper's face in both hands. "Y' got p'moted!"

Aww! Harper laughs at Tammy, as well, lifting him up and away to swing him up in the air. "That, I did!"

Lucas bows his head once to the Abbot "Thank you Father Abbot" still grinning from ear to ear, he's only resisting the urge to celebrate now.

Nicodemus looks at Lucas. "Go forth and cheer before you burst. I'd hate to see you explode before you evern get a chance to go forth and do great things."

Tameus releases a giggle and clasps onto Harper's arms as he's lifted and swung about, legs kicking out a little. "D' that mean y' can give orders now?"

Nicodemus heads over to the hearth, easing himself away so the new brothers have all the attention.

The fire can wait, and Layne steps forward with paws clasped behind her back and an insouciant smirk painting her expression. "Brother, huh? This doesn't mean you have to shave the top of your head, does it?" She attempts a gentle prod in the vicinity of Lucas' ribcage with her finger.

Elienna comes in from the kitchen with a big tray of desserts, grinning from ear to ear as she heads straight for the two new brothers. Behind her follow two of the cooks, one with tea, one with October Ale.

Sivaine absently drifts back to her chair. Her good paw goes out, finds her book, and hugs it against her side before she moves forward, expression cautious and eyes on the two new Brothers. She hangs toward the back of the well-wishers.

Harper chuckles. "In my experience, higher rank means more orders received, not given." He grins at Tammy. "Kind of like when you'll go from a dibbun to a Recruit to a Private. More responsibility, but it's still mighty excitin'." He goes to set Tam down, then. His eyes seek out Siv, not finding her at first.

Lark arrives from the Staircase..

Lark has arrived.

Another quick bob of the head and Lucas sharply turns, coming straight face to face...well, more chest to face, as he starts to laugh. So help him he's happy. He goes to give Layne a large bear hug, lift her completely off the floor and hold her there "My head shall be no balder than it is already"

Sivaine stifles a snort at that. "Wow," she mutters to herself.

Tameus beams. He smooches Harper on the cheek and mutters, "Congrat'lations, mister Brother." When he's put down he hugs onto the older hare's leg.

Lark comes rushing down the stairs, and seeing the celebrating group, gives a little stomp of one footpaw, but comes forward anyway, two little packages in paw, both wrapped in thin green cloth, though one is a shade darker than the other.

"Congratulations," she adds to the mix, going to wait until others have said their well-wishes before speaking up.

Eyes wide, smirk erased with a shocked expression, and legs kicking slightly, Layne leaves the flagstones, swept up by the newly minted brother. "YeeeK! I'fr'... ok!" The momentary shock gives way to laughter. "Ok! You win! Not like I can even -see- the top of your head most days! Aef... down! Floor is good!"

"Thanks, Tammy." Harper looks around to see Layne lifted from the ground. He laughs, uttering a, "Congratulations, Brother Lucas." Ha. He then looks around and... ah! There's Sivaine. He moves forward, at Tam's pace. "Good surprise?"

Tea and October Ale get set near the hearth for those who want to serve themselves, but Elie is happy to tote the big tray of assorted pastries about. "Congrats," she offers, sticking cookies under beasts' noses.

Tameus shuffles along but doesn't fully cooperate in Harper's walking toward Sivaine.

Lark eyes Lucas, then Harper, and moves to stand to one side of Lucas/Layne. "Congratulations, Brother Lucas," she murmurs, but isn't going to but in more than that, looking between the two packages in her paws and switching them so the darker green one is closer to Lucas.

"Mm?" Sivaine starts, looking briefly startled. "Oh. Well." Cough. Then she closes her eyes and grins. "Pretty good, yes." The book gets slipped into her sling, and she turns to watch Layne and Lucas. "..I don't think she was expecting that," she murmurs to herself. In the press of creatures, her good paw sneaks backward to find Harper's. She definitely does /not/ look at him.

Tameus sees that. He reaches up to take ahold of Harper's hand a moment before Sivaine's reaches it.

Lucas isn't letting Layne off so easily, first he aims a kiss at her, then he goes to put her down. He still keeps arm around her before going to look around the rest of the room for a second. He focuses on Harper briefly "And you Brother Harper" got to get as much out of the titles as possible. He looks down to Lark next "Thank y'Lark"

Lark offers Lucas the small (book-sized) package. "You're welcome. I missed some of the middle of the process, but I'm glad I got to be here for this. I wish you both luck," she sneaks in before turning to wander towards Harper.

Harper sees /that/, and slips his remaining free paw into Sivaine's. He squeezes both of theirs, grinning. "M'glad." And glancing at Layne, "No. I don't think she was," he muses, trying not to laugh.

Harper nods to Lark as she approaches. "Hello," he greets. Proud grin!

Layne certainly doesn't object to the kiss, though she totters as she's set back down, still a trifle stunned by the interruption in local gravity. @.o She aims a playful swat at Lucas' arm, and mutters, "Sure. Someday when -I'm- grown up, I'll do the same to you." That'd be when she's... what... 137 at the rate she's grown?

Tameus scowls and tugs at the newly appointed Brother. "Pick m' up 'gain, 'Arper." Because it gives him a better view, yes.

Lark grins in response. "Congratulations, Brother. I wish you the best of everything." A flick of her eyes, however, to Siv and Tam, suggests that she thinks he might already have it. She extends the reminaing package in her paws to the hare, giving him a little bow.

Elienna moves to set her ignored pastries on the table with the drinks, and then hovers, not really knowing either Brother well enough to want to intrude upon their personal/family celebrations.

"Heh." Sivaine glances sidelong at Harper and smiles - hesitant but genuine - and squeezes back. "Well. Congratulations, Brother," she murmurs quietly. "I-" Glance down to Tam. She gives Harper a more direct look. "..I think I need to go congratulate Lucas before he squeezes the air out of Layne." Yes. Totally the reason.

Harper both takes the package and scoops Tameus up in that absent-minded, multi-tasking way that parents have about them. "Thanks, Lark. Appreciate it." He looks at Sivaine, next. Grins. "Okay. You do that." Hm! "Unfortunately I've got t'get back up to the infirmary! Enough celebratin' for now... You wanna come, Tam?" He's starting to fiddle with the wrapping paper, reaching around Tameus to have access to both paws.

Lucas accepts his package off of Lark with faint surprise, though it's hard to tell, he's still grinning like a fool "Thanks Lark" he says as she's off to Harper. Layne gets the grin shot down at her briefly "I think we'd have better luck with me shrinking" he has to remove his arm from Layne long enough to open the package up and it is indeed, a book "Ooo, journal, I can use that"

Zen squeeks very softly as he sneeks around..

"I.. did want to talk to you later. About something," adds Sivaine quickly, and with a final look back disappears into the crowd. Right, Lucas. You're next.

Tameus sets one foot against the buck's hip and holds onto his shoulders. "Yes," he agrees, nodding. "I can 'elp y' sort th' jars 'gain. 's Dar'lett still stuck up there?" And now a nuzzle goes against the underside of Harper's muzzle.

Lark looks a little embarrassed, getting thanks from both sides at once. "I hope you enjoy them." Then she slides her way out of the crowd, finding its way to the edges and almost tripping over Elie. "Oh, sorry... Elie!" The girl gets a glare, then scooped up and dragged off to the corner for a little whispered one-on-one.

Layne will wash Lucas in very hot water until he shrinks. She vows this. Or... possibly not. "T'nks Lark," she echoes, her voice uncannily like Lucas' in tone, unconscious mimicry.

Harper watches Sivaine go off for a second, then looks down to finish the unwrapping. He spies the journal, grins. "That'll be good for Recordin'..." He nods to himself, then turns to head up the stairs with Tammy. "I think so, Tam. I guess we'll find out!" And up they go.